Looking for the HSBC dispute time limit? Here's the answer from HSBC's own help pages: HSBC can help investigate transactions that took place in the last 120 days — and in some cases, it can look into older transactions too. That's the headline figure for chargebacks through the card network.
But there's a second route with a much longer clock. If you paid by credit card and the purchase cost between £100 and £30,000, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 can give you up to six years to claim — regardless of the 120-day figure. Here's how both routes work at HSBC, and how to file.
Before anything else, work out which route your problem falls under:
Debit card purchase? You're on the chargeback route. Credit card purchase over £100 where the retailer broke the contract? You may have both routes available — and Section 75 is a legal right, not a voluntary scheme.
HSBC's help pages are explicit: "We can help investigate transactions that took place in the last 120 days. In some cases, we can look into older transactions." In practice that lands on the same headline number as the card networks' ~120-day window.
For goods or services you expected to receive in the future — flights, holidays, event tickets — the clock generally runs from the expected delivery or performance date rather than the day you paid, subject to the network's outer cap (usually up to around 540 days for future-performance categories). The practical takeaway: contact HSBC as early as you can once the merchant has failed to fix things, because earlier filing is never worse and often decisive.
If you suspect fraud rather than a merchant dispute, contact HSBC immediately regardless of these windows — unauthorized transactions are handled under a different, faster process, including 24-hour support for lost or stolen cards.
If you paid with an HSBC credit card, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 may be your strongest option — especially if the 120-day window has already closed. The key conditions:
Note the nuance: Section 75 doesn't cover HSBC debit card purchases, or cash withdrawals. Read our full breakdown in UK Section 75 time limits and the comparison chargeback vs Section 75.
HSBC splits disputes into two flows — "I recognise a transaction but want to dispute it" and "I don't recognise a transaction" — and the first step in both is the same: check the transaction details and try the retailer first.
Before filing, HSBC asks you to check three things:
Then file through one of these channels:
The single most important item in an HSBC dispute is evidence that you tried the retailer first — HSBC explicitly asks for the details of that contact, so keep notes, emails, and screenshots. Gather these before you file:
Enter your transaction date and we'll tell you how much time is likely left on the chargeback clock.
HSBC investigates and may contact you for further information while the claim is open. Disputes through the card network typically take several weeks to a few months depending on the category and the merchant's response. HSBC will inform you of the outcome.
If the dispute is decided against you, ask HSBC to review the decision and check why it was rejected — if timing was the issue, confirm which deadline was applied against your actual transaction date. If you remain unhappy, make a formal complaint: once HSBC issues a final response you disagree with — or if 8 weeks pass without resolution — you can escalate for free to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
HSBC says it can help investigate transactions that took place in the last 120 days — and in some cases it can look into older transactions. Separately, UK credit-card purchases of £100–£30,000 can be claimed under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, typically within 6 years.
For a transaction you recognise but want to dispute, HSBC's Disputes Help Tool guides you through the next steps. For a transaction you don't recognise, log on to the mobile app, select the account, tap the transaction, choose "query this transaction", and follow the steps — or reach the team through in-app Chat.
HSBC generally requires most transactions to be fully processed and no longer pending before it can help — though it can raise disputes for unrecognised transactions, duplicates, or pending transactions charged at a different amount to what you agreed. Check the "pending" section at the top of your app's transaction screen.
No. Section 75 applies to credit cards only — and only where the item or service cost £100–£30,000 and you paid the seller directly. Debit card purchases are not covered, but you may still have the chargeback route through the card network.
Ask HSBC to review the decision and make a formal complaint if needed. If you receive a final response you disagree with — or if 8 weeks pass without resolution — you can escalate for free to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
