Disputes
Handle chargebacks, respond with evidence, track outcomes, and prevent future disputes
A dispute (chargeback) occurs when a customer contests a charge with their bank. The Disputes dashboard helps you respond with the right evidence, track outcomes, and understand dispute patterns.
Accessing Disputes
Navigate to Finance > Disputes to view all disputes.
What is a Dispute?
When a cardholder contacts their bank to reverse a charge, the bank opens a dispute. The funds are held while both sides present evidence. Common reasons include:
- Customer does not recognise the charge
- Product or service not received
- Product significantly different than described
- Unauthorised transaction (fraud)
- Duplicate or incorrect charge
A Direct Debit indemnity claim is the Bacs equivalent of a chargeback. It is reported as a collection event rather than a card dispute; see Direct Debit.
Dispute List
View all disputes with key information:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Date Opened | When the dispute was filed |
| Customer | Who filed the dispute |
| Amount | Disputed amount |
| Reason | Dispute category |
| Evidence Due | Deadline to submit evidence |
| Status | Current dispute status |
Dispute Status
| Status | Description | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
Needs Response | Awaiting your evidence | Submit evidence before deadline |
Under Review | Bank reviewing evidence | Wait for decision |
Won | Resolved in your favour | Funds returned |
Lost | Customer won the dispute | Funds not returned |
Responding to Disputes
Respond to disputes in the dashboard. There is no public API for reading or responding to disputes yet.
Important: Evidence must be submitted before the deadline. Missing the deadline results in automatic loss.
- Open the dispute in Finance > Disputes
- Review the dispute details, reason, amount and deadline
- Gather relevant evidence: invoices, delivery confirmations, customer communications, terms of service, and transaction records
- Upload evidence files
- Write a response explaining your case
- Submit before the deadline (typically 7-21 days)
The bank then reviews evidence from both sides. Decisions typically take 30-90 days.
Recommended Evidence
Evidence depends on the dispute reason:
| Dispute Reason | Helpful Evidence |
|---|---|
| Fraudulent | AVS/CVV match, IP address, prior purchases, delivery confirmation |
| Product not received | Shipping/tracking info, delivery confirmation, access logs, proof of service completion |
| Not as described | Product descriptions, images, terms of service, customer communications |
| Duplicate | Proof transactions were separate, itemised receipts; or refund if it was a duplicate |
| Subscription cancelled | Cancellation policy, customer acknowledgment, subscription status history, usage logs |
RevKeen automatically includes transaction details, customer information, and invoice copies with your evidence submission.
Financial Impact
When a dispute is opened:
- Disputed amount -- Immediately deducted from your balance
- Dispute fee -- Your acquirer may charge a dispute fee; check your processing agreement for the amount
- If won -- Disputed amount returned, but the fee is usually not refunded
- If lost -- Amount stays with the customer
Notifications and webhooks
RevKeen sends in-app notifications when a dispute is received, so you can respond quickly.
There are no public webhook events for card disputes yet. The public events closest to this area are collection.indemnity_claimed (a Direct Debit indemnity claim) and refund.created / refund.succeeded (a refund you issue to settle a dispute). See the event catalogue.
Preventing Disputes
Reduce chargebacks with these practices:
- Clear billing descriptor -- Use a recognisable business name so customers know who charged them
- Transparent pricing -- Show all charges, including taxes and fees, before checkout; recurring billing intervals are shown on invoices and receipts
- Order confirmations -- Send detailed receipts
- Shipping notifications -- Provide tracking information
- Easy cancellation -- Let customers cancel subscriptions through the customer portal rather than disputing charges
- Easy refunds -- Process refunds promptly when appropriate
- Customer service -- Make it easy to reach you; many disputes can be resolved before they reach the bank
- Clear policies -- Document cancellation and refund terms
Dispute Metrics
Track your dispute performance:
| Metric | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Dispute Rate | Disputes / Total transactions | < 1% |
| Win Rate | Disputes won / Total disputes | > 50% |
| Response Rate | Responded / Total requiring response | 100% |
Important: High dispute rates can result in increased processing fees or account termination. Monitor and address trends promptly.
Related
- Payments and Refunds -- Processing payments and issuing refunds
- Refunds -- Track refund status and financial impact
- Customer Portal -- Self-service access reduces disputes
Owner: david · Reviewed 30 Sep 2026 · Next review 29 Dec 2026