Dispute Resolution Policy

This Policy explains how to raise and resolve disputes about an order or hire booking made through the MerchantLink platform. It works alongside our Terms of Service, the Returns, Refunds and Cancellations Policy, and the Hire Terms and Conditions.

Our aim is to resolve disputes quickly, fairly, and in line with your statutory rights as a UK consumer. Nothing in this Policy takes away those rights or your right to take a dispute to your bank, your card issuer, an ombudsman, or the courts.

1. Scope

1.1. This Policy applies to disputes between you and a Merchant, where MerchantLink is the platform that enabled the transaction. It does not apply to disputes between you and MerchantLink directly about your account or your use of the Platform; for those, contact us through the Help section.

1.2. Examples of disputes covered by this Policy:

(a) you received the wrong item, a damaged item, or fewer items than you ordered;

(b) the item is faulty or not as described;

(d) you disagree with damage charges on a hire Final Invoice;

(e) the Merchant has not refunded you within the timeframes set out in the relevant policy; or

(f) the Merchant has charged you an amount you did not authorise.

2. Talk to the Merchant first

2.1. In most cases, the quickest way to resolve a problem is to contact the Merchant directly. The order detail screen and hire booking detail screen both include the Merchant's contact details.

2.2. Reach out to the Merchant within a reasonable time of becoming aware of the problem. For retail orders, this is typically within 14 days of receipt; for hire bookings, within the 48-hour dispute window described in section 3.

2.3. If you and the Merchant can agree a resolution (a refund, a replacement, a partial refund, a price reduction), the Merchant initiates it through the Platform and we process it.

3. The hire 48-hour dispute window

3.1. For hire bookings, the Hire Terms give you 48 hours from the time the Merchant closes the booking to raise a dispute about the Final Invoice. This is enforced in the app: the "Dispute charges" button is available on the Final Invoice screen during the 48-hour window only.

3.2. The 48-hour window applies specifically to disputes about damage charges and other items added by the Merchant after the hire ends. It does not affect:

(a) your statutory rights to a refund for faulty or mis-described equipment;

(b) your right to take a dispute to your bank or card issuer;

(d) your right to take legal action.

3.3. Raising a dispute within the 48-hour window pauses the backstop authorisation described in the Hire Terms, so no automatic final charge is taken while the dispute is being reviewed.

3.4. If the window has expired and you still wish to raise a concern, contact the Merchant directly. If that does not resolve the matter, contact MerchantLink and we will see whether we can help.

4. How to raise a dispute through the Platform

4.1. Open the order or hire booking from your Activity tab.

4.2. Tap "Need help with this order?" (retail orders) or "Dispute charges" (hire Final Invoice within the 48-hour window).

4.3. Choose the line items you are disputing, where applicable.

4.4. Write a clear description of the issue. Include:

(a) what you expected;

(b) what actually happened;

(d) what outcome you would like (refund, replacement, partial refund, price reduction).

4.5. Attach photographs and any other supporting evidence. Photographs are particularly important for damage disputes, delivery issues, and quality concerns.

4.6. Submit the dispute. The Merchant is notified through the Platform.

5. What happens next

5.1. Initial review. Within two business days of submission, the Merchant must respond with their position: agreeing, partially agreeing, or rejecting your dispute. If the Merchant does not respond within this time, the matter is escalated automatically to MerchantLink.

5.2. Merchant agrees in full. The Merchant processes the refund or other agreed remedy. Funds are returned to your original payment method within five to ten business days.

5.3. Merchant partially agrees. The Merchant proposes a partial remedy. You can accept, decline, or counter-propose through the Platform. If you and the Merchant agree, the matter is resolved.

5.4. Merchant rejects, or you cannot agree. The matter is escalated to the MerchantLink dispute team. We will:

(a) review the evidence from both sides;

(b) ask for any further information we need;

(d) reach a decision within ten business days of escalation.

5.5. We will share our decision with both you and the Merchant. Where we find in your favour, the refund or remedy is processed through the Platform. Where we find in the Merchant's favour, the original charge stands; you will not be charged any additional fee for raising the dispute.

6. Possible outcomes

A dispute may resolve in one or more of the following ways:

(a) full refund;

(b) partial refund;

(d) price reduction;

(e) cancellation of an outstanding charge (for hire bookings within the backstop window);

(f) release of held funds; or

(g) confirmation that the original charge stands.

The outcome is recorded on the order or hire booking and visible to both parties.

7. Evidence

7.1. Evidence helps us reach a fair and accurate decision. Useful evidence includes:

(a) photographs or video, with timestamps where possible;

(b) the original packaging where relevant;

(d) any messages between you and the Merchant;

(e) receipts for repairs or replacement; and

(f) for hire damage disputes, your own photographs taken at delivery and before collection.

7.2. We may ask you or the Merchant to provide additional evidence. We will not share your personal data with the Merchant beyond what is necessary to resolve the dispute.

8. Your rights are preserved

8.1. Submitting a dispute through the Platform does not waive your statutory rights or your right to:

(a) ask your bank or card issuer for a chargeback;

(b) refer the matter to an alternative dispute resolution provider;

(d) take legal action.

8.2. We encourage you to use the Platform dispute process first because it is usually quicker and cheaper, but you are free to choose any route at any time.

9. Chargebacks

9.1. If you raise a chargeback with your bank or card issuer for a transaction also being disputed on the Platform, we will pause the Platform dispute and respond to the chargeback.

9.2. Raising a chargeback in bad faith, for example for a transaction you know is valid, may breach the Terms of Service and may result in suspension of your account.

10. Alternative dispute resolution and the courts

10.1. If you remain dissatisfied after our internal review, you have the right to refer the matter to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider. We will tell you which ADR provider we use at the point our internal review concludes, and we will cooperate with that provider.

10.2. You also have the right to take the matter to the courts of England and Wales. If you are a consumer resident in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you may also bring proceedings in your local courts.

10.3. The Online Dispute Resolution platform run by the European Commission no longer applies to UK consumers following Brexit, but a number of UK ADR bodies remain available depending on the nature of the dispute.

11. Vexatious or fraudulent disputes

11.1. We treat every dispute on its merits. However, if we find that you have raised a dispute that is vexatious, fraudulent, or in bad faith, we may:

(a) decline to take further action on the dispute;

(b) recover any amounts wrongly paid out;

(d) refer the matter to the relevant authorities where appropriate.

12. How we use data during a dispute

We use the information you submit through the dispute flow to investigate and decide the dispute. We share with the Merchant only the information necessary to resolve it. Our use of your personal data is governed by the Privacy Policy.

13. Confidentiality

The contents of a dispute, including any evidence, are confidential to MerchantLink, you, and the Merchant. Do not publish dispute correspondence elsewhere; doing so may constitute a breach of these terms and may prejudice the dispute.

14. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top shows when it was last revised. Changes do not affect disputes already raised at the time the change took effect.

15. How to contact us

To raise a dispute, use the in-app flow described in section 4. For other questions about disputes, contact us at app@merchantlink.co.uk or through the Help section of your account.