Builder won't refund your deposit in Derby City Council — the recovery route
The short answer: a deposit is not a gift — if work hasn't started or the builder breached first, the money is recoverable. The route depends on how you paid: credit card first (section 75, £100+), debit chargeback second, then small claims.
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-09-03
Is the deposit actually recoverable?
- Work never started — recoverable in full in most cases; the builder holds your money for nothing.
- You cancelled after the cooling-off window (contracts signed at your home carry a 14-day cancellation right under Consumer Contracts Regulations) — the builder may keep a proportionate amount for work genuinely done or materials bought, not the lot.
- Builder breached first (abandoned, substandard) — recoverable as part of your damages: schedule of loss.
The recovery ladder
1. Written demand — letter before action, 14 days. Say "refund of deposit of £X paid on [date]" and nothing else muddy. 2. Card route — section 75 / chargeback. 3. Small claims — the deposit plus fee plus interest. 4. Report it — Citizens Advice consumer service passes it to Derby City Council Trading Standards (council page, verified 2026-09-04). Deposit-retention patterns are enforcement-relevant.
Independent information directory — not legal advice.
Sources: https://derby.gov.uk/trading-standards-environmental-health/trading-standards/consumer-advice/report-a-scam/ (verified 2026-09-04); GOV.UK — Make a court claim for money.
Reviewed by Sean McNamara · 2026-09-03 · Independent information directory — not legal advice.