Overview
A dispute, also known as a chargeback, occurs when a customer rejects a payment they've made to you with their bank or credit card company.
If a customer has filed a dispute against you, you have the ability to submit evidence in your defense.
Types of Disputes
Credit Not Processed
Duplicate
Fraudulent
General
Product Not Received
Product Unacceptable
Subscription Canceled
Unrecognized
📖 Help Center Article:
To learn more about Payment Dispute Types and the evidence required for each, check out our Help Article, "HCP Payments: Dispute Types & Evidence Required" in the HCP Help Center.
Dispute Process
When your customer disputes a card payment, the customer's bank creates a formal dispute which immediately reverses the payment.
The payment amount is withdrawn from your bank account, sent back to your customer's bank, and refunded to the card that was used for the charge.
Stripe will also assess a $25 dispute resolution fee in addition to the amount refunded to the customer. This will be charged to the card on file with Housecall for your subscription billing.
If you win the dispute, the bank will then send the money back to Stripe, then Stripe will issue a new payout to you. The $25 dispute resolution fee will be credited to your Housecall Pro account.
If you lose the dispute, the money is kept by the bank along with the $25 dispute resolution fee.
❗Important:
Housecall Pro has NO control over the reversal of the disputed amount
being withdrawn from your account. Disputes are
controlled by your customer's bank.
Roles and Expectations
Housecall Pro:
Housecall Pro acts as the middleman or messenger between you (the Pro), and Stripe (the payment processor). While we will keep you up to date on the status of your dispute and submit evidence on your behalf, we do NOT represent you in any legal capacity.
Stripe:
Stripe is the credit card processor Housecall Pro is partnered with and works directly with your customer's bank during the dispute process.
Your Customer's Bank:
Your customer's bank is working on behalf of the customer and will take their side by default. No matter what, the bank will automatically pull the funds and hold them until the dispute has been resolved.
As of August 31, 2023, Pros are responsible for all processing fees associated with the original card transaction and bank transfer (ACH)
when issuing a refund.
Best Practices for Preventing Disputes
Discover best practices for presenting clear and accurate evidence to support your case and streamline the dispute resolution process.
Step 1: Collect payment information in full and have customers sign off on work.
When taking a credit or debit card payment from a customer, ensure that your processor has you collect the customer's name, email address, CVC number, and billing address.
Disputes can be lost because minimal information was required during checkout.
Using Housecall Pro for your payment processing ensures this information is being captured.
Incorporate requiring customers to sign off on estimates and/or invoices before and after work is complete
Step 2: Communicate with your customer.
Respond to any issues and process refunds or replacements quickly.
Make it easy for customers to reach you so that they come to you with issues or concerns first before taking the time to dispute a payment.
If you don't have payment and refund information clearly included in your terms & conditions, be sure to add them.
Add your terms and conditions to your website so they are easy for customers to find.
Add your terms and conditions to invoices that will be signed by the customer. Make it easy by adding your terms to the message on invoice so they appear automatically.
Step 3: Avoid fraudulent payments.
Get to know your customer and check their ID against the card they are using and their name.
Using a card reader will not only save you money, but will also reduce the risk of fraudulent payments.
If you have concerns about a payment made, refund the payment immediately so it cannot be disputed.
Prepare Documents for Evidence Submission
Only one document can be submitted for evidence. However, you can combine more multiple pieces of evidence into one document to prepare to submit. This section covers essential techniques for preparing evidence to submit for disputes.
Learn how to convert images to PDFs, compress large files, and combine multiple documents into a cohesive submission.
Combine PDF Documents
To combine PDF documents:
Navigate to the Combine PDF website.
Click the 'Upload Files' button (Make sure you're in the 'Combine PDF' 'section, although you should be by default)
Select ALL PDF files you want to merge and click 'Open' on your computer's File Explorer window.
You can repeat these first 2 steps multiple times until all documents have been selected
Once the files have finished uploading, click the 'Combine' button.
The combined document will appear in the downloads section of your browser and/or computer, which you can open and save.
Please Note: If your files are a JPG or another type of image file, you'll need to convert them to a PDF first.
If you receive an error saying your document cannot be submitted because it has exceeded the file size limit, follow the instructions in the "How to Compress Large Files" section of this Help Article to learn how to
compress your PDF document.
Convert JPG Images to PDF & Combine
If you are combining more than one piece of evidence to submit, you'll need to first convert the image to a PDF file using the JPG to PDF website since the evidence submission form only allows for PDFs with multiple pages, not images.
To convert images to a PDF format:
Access the JPG to PDF website and click the 'Upload Files' button. (Make sure you're in the 'Combine PDF' 'section, although you should be by default)
Your computer's File Explorer window will open, where you can select the image(s) you'd like to convert. Then, click 'Open' to upload the images you've selected.
You can repeat these first 2 steps multiple times until all documents have been selected.
Once the files have been uploaded, click 'Combined' at the bottom of the JPG to PDF web page to download the newly formatted documents.
The newly formatted documents will appear in the downloads section of your web browser and/or computer, which you can open and save.
Please Note: JPG to PDF is a free website that we have no affiliation with. If you have a different website you'd like to use, or are familiar with converting these types of files using your computer, feel free to use your preferred method.
Combine Evidence with HCP's Canva Template (Provided by HCP)
We have created a template with Canva that you can access by clicking here.
After clicking on the Canva link, you will be prompted to sign up. You will need to create a free Canva account (no need to sign up for Canva Pro).
From here, click on the 'Use Template for New Design' button at the bottom of the page. If Canva shows that you are in 'Read Only' mode, click on the link again, or try refreshing the page.
Edit the template to add in text, screenshots, photos, etc. If you need more guidance on using Canva, check out our tutorial here.
Once you are finished adding in your evidence, click the downward facing arrow (⤓) icon in the top right corner of the page to download your document.
Then, select 'PDF Standard' from the File Type drop-down and click the 'Download' button.
The PDF will then be downloaded to your computer so you can submit a PDF document with your evidence for the dispute.
How to Compress Large Files
Stripe, our third-party credit card processor, limits the document upload size to 5 MB for all files. If you have combined multiple pieces of evidence into one document and are attempting to upload, you may get an error that the form can't be submitted because the file size has been exceeded.
If you're getting an error message that the file you are trying to upload is too big, you can use these steps to compress the file.
To compress a the size of a file:
Use a PDF Compressor website and click the 'Upload Files' button.
Next, your computer's File Explorer will appear where you can select the file(s) you want to compress.
Once all files are compressed, you can find the document(s) in your browser and/or computer downloads, which you can save and submit through the evidence form
Submit Evidence or Accept a Dispute
❗Important:
Evidence must be submitted within the deadline outlined in the original dispute email.
To accept a dispute or submit your dispute evidence:
Locate the document you created when preparing your evidence in your browser and/or computer downloads.
Log into your HCP account and click on the 'My money' tab in your Housecall Pro navigation bar.
Click on the 'Disputed Transactions' notification on your My Money page.
You'll then see all of your active disputes. This includes disputes that need your response or disputes that are under review by the bank.
Select an individual dispute and you will have two options:
"I would like to submit evidence"
"I would like to accept the dispute"
To accept a dispute, select the "I would like to accept the dispute" option.
Then, type "I ACCEPT" in the text box at the bottom of the page and click the blue 'Accept Dispute' button.
To submit evidence for the dispute, select the "I would like to submit evidence" option. You'll then be prompted to upload your PDF file.
You will receive an email (sent to you from disputes@housecallpro.com to the support email address saved in your company profile) once a final decision has been made.
Please Note: Any documents or images being used as evidence must be combined into one, singular document before being submitted.
To learn more about combining your evidence, review the "Prepare Documents for Submission" section of this Help Article.
Dispute FAQs
How will I know if a payment has been disputed?
You will receive an email from disputes@housecallpro.com (to the support email address saved in your company profile) when your customer has disputed a charge against you. Please reply to that email with any questions.
How long do I have to fight the dispute?
There is a limited period of time that evidence can be submitted (usually 7-14 days).
The final decision is typically rendered 90 days after the deadline to submit evidence.
The amount of time available is provided within the dispute email we send to you from disputes@housecallpro.com (to the support email address saved in your company profile).
What is the best way to resolve the dispute?
Discussing the dispute with your customer directly and having them officially withdraw the dispute (with their bank) is the best way to have things resolved.
What if I do not want to fight the dispute?
If you do NOT want to fight the dispute and in fact agree that it was a faulty charge, simply 'Accept' the disputed charge. You will be committed to the dispute as lost meaning accepting is irreversible.
What if my customer agrees to withdraw the dispute?
Even if your customer agrees to withdraw their dispute, you still need to take some steps to complete the process and protect yourself in the event the customer changes their mind or forgets to officially withdraw the dispute with their bank (Stripe suggests taking the steps below).
Still submit evidence -- this protects you in the event of your customer changing their mind and includes the letter/proof of withdrawal and re-billing.
Make sure your customer notifies their bank -- the customer MUST notify their bank. Once they do, the bank will formally re-charge the customer for the disputed charge amount and provide a letter of withdrawal, typically via email within 7 business days.
Retrieve proof of withdrawal -- ask the customer for a copy or screenshot of the letter of the re-billing as it appears on their statement once they have it.
Video Tutorials
Preventing Disputes & Fraud:
Preparing Evidence:
Having trouble finding what you need?
For further assistance, please reach out to our Chat Support team
via the Blue Chat Bubble in your Housecall Pro account, or
contact our Phone Support team at (858) 842-5746.