When a payment fails

Most of what looks like a failed payment is not one. Work through these in order.

The checkout closed and nothing happened#

Closing the payment panel - or pressing back, or losing the connection - leaves an order that was never paid. Nothing was taken.

It appears in your payment history as Created. That is a record that you started something, not money owed, and it needs no action.

Start again when you are ready.

It said something went wrong, but the money left my account#

This one is worth understanding, because the honest answer is "wait a moment, then look".

If the payment genuinely failed, the money is an authorisation your bank will release on its own - usually within a few working days. It is not a charge we can return, because we never received it.

The booking slot expired while I was paying#

Booking a session holds the slot while you check out, and the countdown is on screen. If it runs out before payment completes, the hold is released so somebody else can take the time.

Your money is not affected - a released hold is not a charge. Pick a time again.

Will I be charged twice?#

No. Each attempt carries a key that collapses repeats of the same purchase into one order, so a double click, an impatient retry, or a refresh mid-payment produces one charge.

The gateway gave a reason I do not understand#

Card declines come back from the bank, often with very little detail - "payment failed" is sometimes all the gateway passes on. That is a limitation of what is sent to us, not something being withheld.

Worth trying: a different instrument, or your bank, who can see the actual decline reason.

When to contact us#

• Your history shows Captured but the thing you bought is not there
• A charge you do not recognise
• An authorisation that has not been released after several working days

Quote the payment reference from your history. For refunds specifically, see refunds.

Related#