Reclaim a mis-sold or unaffordable store card refund

Store cards are credit cards branded to a retailer, and for years they were sold aggressively at the checkout with the promise of a discount on your first purchase. Staff on commission rarely explained the high interest, and affordability was often barely checked. A store card is regulated consumer credit, so the same FCA rules apply as to any credit card. If it was sold without a reasonable affordability assessment, or you were misled about the cost or how it worked, you may be owed a refund of interest and charges. You complain to whoever runs the card (often a bank like NewDay rather than the shop), and you keep every penny.

Reviewed by Corey Musa, Founder·Last reviewed June 2026·LinkedIn

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Your rights

Store cards are regulated under the FCA's consumer credit rules. CONC 5.2A requires the lender to carry out a reasonable creditworthiness and affordability assessment before entering into the agreement and before any significant credit limit increase. CONC 6.7 covers persistent debt, where over an 18-month period interest, fees and charges paid have exceeded the balance repaid, triggering a duty to intervene and, at the 36-month stage, consider forbearance which may include reducing, waiving or cancelling interest, fees or charges. If the card was unaffordable or you were misled at the point of sale, the Financial Ombudsman's typical remedy is a refund of all interest, fees and charges from the point of harm, plus 8% simple interest a year, plus removal of related adverse credit markers. The provider has 8 weeks to respond. If it refuses or doesn't reply, you can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service free, normally within 6 months of the final response.

Step by step

1Identify who runs the card and request your history. Many store cards are operated by a bank such as NewDay rather than the retailer. Send a Subject Access Request or ask for a full statement of account showing your limit, any increases, and all interest and charges.
2Write a formal complaint setting out why the card was mis-sold or unaffordable, for example signed up at the till without affordability checks, misled about the interest rate or the discount, or given a limit you couldn't sustain. Ask for a refund of interest and charges plus removal of negative markers.
3Give the provider the full 8 weeks to respond. Keep copies of your complaint and any reply, and don't accept an offer that ignores the 8% interest or leaves your credit file uncorrected.
4If they reject it or miss the deadline, escalate free to the Financial Ombudsman Service within 6 months of the final response. The ombudsman can order the full refund and credit file correction at no cost.

What they'll say, and your comeback

“You signed the agreement in store, so you accepted the terms including the interest rate.”

Comeback, A signature at the till doesn't prove the card was suitable or affordable. Under CONC 5.2A you still had to assess whether I could sustainably afford it, and if the cost was glossed over to close a sale, that's a mis-sale. Please show your affordability checks.

“The retailer sold you the card, not us, so it's not our responsibility.”

Comeback, As the regulated lender that operated the credit agreement, you're responsible for the affordability assessment and the conduct of the sale under FCA rules. I'm complaining to the firm that ran the account, which is you.

“Store card interest rates are clearly published, so there's nothing to refund.”

Comeback, Publishing a rate doesn't make the lending affordable or the sale fair. If no reasonable affordability check was done, or I was misled at the point of sale, the interest and charges I paid are reclaimable regardless of the headline rate.

FAQ

I don't even remember which company runs my old store card. How do I find out?

Check old statements or the back of the card for the lender's name, or look at your credit report, which lists the actual lender behind the brand. Many UK store cards are run by NewDay. Once you know, send your complaint there.

The store card was years ago and is closed. Is it too late?

Not necessarily. A closed store card can still be complained about. Time limits generally run from when you reasonably knew you had cause to complain, and the Financial Ombudsman applies that test rather than a hard cut-off, so it's worth raising it.

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