Get a refund for an extra you didn't choose

The short version

• A company can only charge you for an extra on top of the main price if you chose it before you agreed to buy.
• A box the company ticked for you, or an extra it added to your basket, doesn't count as choosing it.
• If you paid for an extra you didn't choose, you're entitled to get that money back.
• Start by asking the company for a refund in writing, and keep proof of what you paid.

What the law says

Under consumer contracts law, a company can only charge you for an extra on top of the main price if you chose it before you agreed to buy. Leaving an option the company chose for you, such as a ticked box, doesn't count as choosing it. If the company took a payment for an extra you didn't choose, it has to refund it to you.

This applies across the UK when you buy something for personal use from a business, whether online, by phone or in a shop.

It doesn't cover some things you buy, such as gambling, package holidays, or banking, credit or insurance when that's the main thing you're buying. It does cover insurance added as an extra to something else.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) guidance for online sellers explains what counts as choosing an extra.

If you were charged for an extra you didn't choose

Ask the company to give you back what you paid for the extra.

An extra can be anything optional, such as faster delivery, installation, taking away your old appliance, gift wrapping or insurance.

You didn't choose it if:

• a box for the extra was already ticked and you left it ticked
• the extra was added to your basket automatically
• faster delivery was picked for you instead of standard delivery
• you had to tick a box to avoid paying for it

If the charge was a fee that everyone had to pay, rather than an optional extra, read our guide to challenging a hidden fee at checkout. If the company told you something untrue to get you to buy, read how to get your money back if you were misled into buying.

What you can do

1. Keep evidence of the charge. Take screenshots of the checkout pages if you can still see them, and keep your order confirmation, receipt and bank or card statement.
2. Write to the company. Say which extra you were charged for, that you didn't choose it, and that you want the money back. Give the company a reasonable time to reply.

If the company refuses or doesn't reply, you might be able to get your money back another way:

• If you paid by debit, credit or charge card, you can ask your card provider to reverse the payment, known as a 'chargeback'. Your card provider might not agree. Citizens Advice explains how to get your money back if you paid by card.
• You can make a court claim for money online in England or Wales. There's a different process in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

You can also report the company to the CMA. In England and Wales, report it to Trading Standards through the Citizens Advice consumer service.

Contact the Citizens Advice consumer service if you're not sure what to do next. In Scotland, get consumer help from Advice Direct Scotland. In Northern Ireland, contact Consumerline.