Chargeback guide · for hotels
Respond to the code.
A plain-language walkthrough of why disputes happen, how to prevent them, and how to respond through the ValPay Disputes portal when one lands at the front desk.
Get the PDF version ↓
1 PDF
under 2 MB. One upload.
48–72 hrs
to get your response in
~9 days
Visa’s window. The tightest.
01
Start here
The one rule that decides every dispute.
THE GOLDEN RULE
Prove the cardholder authorized the stay, and got what they paid for.
The guest starts it
They tell their bank something’s wrong with the charge.
Their bank decides
Not you, not ValPay. The cardholder is the bank’s customer.
The networks set the rules
Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Discover decide what evidence counts.
ValPay passes it on
We post the case in the portal and deliver your response.
02
Stop them before they start
The habits that prevent most disputes.
1
Signed reg card, every stay
Your single most important document. No card, no case.
2
Photo ID at check-in
Decisive when “I never stayed there” lands six weeks later.
3
Confirm it in writing
Ask the guest to reply. A two-way email beats any policy page.
4
A name guests recognize
Hotel name, city and phone on the statement. The cheapest fix there is.
5
Charge once, promptly
Reconcile the auth hold against the final bill so it never looks like two charges.
03
The email has landed
First, work out which one you’ve got.
FRAUD NOTIFICATION (NOF)
A warning shot. Get ready.
The card network has told us, through our systems, that the cardholder flagged this charge as unrecognised. These often turn into chargebacks.
Do the prep now. Pull the booking, ID and payment records while they’re easy to find.
Thinking of refunding? Check no chargeback has landed first. Some networks send the NOF and then the chargeback, and you could lose the money twice.
It still counts toward your fraud totals, even if you refund.
CHARGEBACK
The clock is ticking
The bank has taken the money back and opened a case.
Read the reason code
Defend or accept
Beat the deadline
1
Open the case
From the email link or the portal
2
Read the code
Respond to that. Nothing else.
3
Defend or accept
Accepting is final
4
Upload one PDF
Letter and exhibits, in order
9 days
Visa
14 days
Amex
24 days
Discover
39 days
Mastercard
One file. 2 MB.
The portal takes a single upload. Scan at 150 dpi in grayscale, and use Reduce File Size if it’s over.
Good to know
04
Find your code
Match the claim, then send the evidence in the last column.
“I didn’t authorize this”
Visa 10.4 · MC 4837 · Amex F29
Signed reg card, ID, AVS/CVV match, prior undisputed stays.
“I never got the service”
Visa 13.1 · MC 4853 · Amex C08
Signed reg card, the folio, the stay record.
“Charged twice / wrong amount”
Visa 12.5 / 12.6 · MC 4834 · Amex P05
Auth hold vs final charge side by side, or the agreed total. ARN of any credit.
“It wasn’t as described”
Visa 13.3 · MC 4853 · Amex C31
The room booked, photos, any signed acceptance.
“I canceled / it was a no-show”
Visa 13.7 · MC 4853 · Amex C18
Policy agreed at booking and the confirmation that showed it.
“I was promised a refund”
Visa 13.6 · MC 4853 · Amex C-series
The refund’s ARN, date and amount, or your policy if none was owed.
“The payment wasn’t approved”
Visa 11.x · MC 4808 · Amex A02
The approval record. Always authorize before the stay.
WATCH THE CARD-PRESENT FLAG
A phone or online booking tagged “card present” routes to a code that demands proof the physical card was read. That’s impossible for a remote booking, so get the flag right.
05
Let AI do the heavy lifting
Your records in. One clear, two-minute story out.
Not sure where to start? Pull the booking and payment records from your reports, and let an AI assistant turn them into one clear story for the bank.
THE PROMPT
I’m responding to a card dispute. Reason code: [code and description from the case]. A bank analyst will read this for about two minutes and decide. Using only the records below, write a one-page cover letter that: states the case number, reason code, transaction date and amount; answers the reason code in the first two sentences; gives a short timeline; lists each exhibit (A, B, C) and what it proves; and stays calm and factual. Put the key facts in bold. Don’t add anything that isn’t in my records. If something’s missing, tell me what to find. Records: [paste here]
Before
Strip card numbers and other customers’ details. Never paste them into an AI tool.
After
Check every fact against your records. AI can get things wrong, and you own the response.
Then
One PDF, under 2 MB, uploaded before the deadline.
06
Cases worth learning from
How the golden rule plays out in real life.
Defend
“I never stayed there”
Chip read, signed reg card, ID on file. Six weeks later, the facts still say otherwise.
Defend
The no-show who “canceled”
The booking showed the no-show policy, the guest replied to confirm, and the log shows no cancellation. No policy shown? Accept instead.
Depends
The smoking fee after checkout
Signed fee policy and dated photos? Fight it. Neither? Let it go.
Accept
The phone booking on a stolen card
Keyed card, failed address check, and nobody showed the card at check-in. That one’s on the hotel. Accept it fast.
Before it happens
Signed reg card and photo ID
Policies confirmed in writing
Chip or tap. Never key a chip card.
A statement name guests recognize
One charge. Hold reconciled.
When a dispute lands
Open it the day it lands
Read the code, answer the code
Defend or accept. Accepting is final.
One PDF under 2 MB
In before the deadline
TAKE IT WITH YOU
Get the PDF for the front desk
Pop your details in and we’ll email you the printable version, checklist included. Pin it up where the team will see it.
Questions about a specific dispute? Start with the reason code on the case. If you get stuck, chargebacks@valpay.com will do its best to help.