If a customer disputes a payment, you are responsible for reviewing and responding to the dispute through your Stripe connected account dashboard. FareHarbor does not manage disputes on your behalf.
Stripe gives you a limited amount of time to respond. Review the dispute as soon as you receive a notification so you have enough time to gather and submit relevant evidence. See Stripe’s Respond to disputes documentation for information about the dispute process and response deadlines.
Overview
A dispute occurs when a customer challenges a card payment with their card issuer. The issuer determines the dispute process and outcome based on the dispute reason and the information provided.
When a formal dispute is opened, the disputed funds are generally removed from your Stripe balance and held while the dispute is reviewed. Applicable dispute fees may also apply. For more information about disputed amounts, funds, and the dispute lifecycle, see Stripe’s How disputes work help page.
The amount disputed may be the full payment amount or a different amount. For example, a customer may dispute only part of an order or may dispute a charge that you previously partially refunded.
If you challenge a dispute, you can submit evidence for the issuer to review. The type of evidence that is most relevant depends on the dispute reason.
If the dispute is resolved in your favor, Stripe returns the disputed amount according to Stripe’s dispute process. If the dispute is resolved in the customer’s favor, you lose the amount awarded through the dispute. Stripe handles dispute fees separately, and fee rules can vary based on factors such as your account country and card network.
Set dispute notifications
You can configure who receives dispute notifications in FareHarbor Desk.
To manage dispute notifications:
- Navigate to Settings.
- Click Company Settings from the dropdown.
- Click the Bank and Payments tab.
- Under Disputes, specify which email addresses should receive dispute notification emails.
If no email is specified, dispute notifications will be sent to the company and desk email addresses.
Make sure the selected recipients can monitor and respond to disputes promptly. Stripe limits how long you have to submit a response.
Respond to a dispute
Review each dispute carefully before deciding whether to accept it or challenge it. If you challenge the dispute, provide evidence that directly addresses the customer’s claim.
To respond to a dispute:
- Open the dispute in your Stripe dashboard.
- Review the dispute reason, disputed amount, and response deadline.
- Review the related booking and payment information in FareHarbor Desk.
- Gather evidence relevant to the dispute.
- Submit your response and evidence through your Stripe dashboard before the deadline.
For Stripe’s requirements and instructions, see Respond to disputes.
Provide evidence relevant to the dispute
Your evidence should help the card issuer understand what happened and why the charge is valid. Depending on the dispute, supporting evidence may include:
- A copy of your company’s cancellation policy.
- Confirmation, reminder, and follow-up emails.
- Information showing whether the customer checked in or was a no-show.
- Booking notes relevant to the dispute.
- Screenshots showing where customers can review your policies.
- Signed waivers or receipts.
- Additional email correspondence with the customer.
- Relevant photos.
- Other documentation that demonstrates the customer is responsible for the charge.
Focus on evidence that directly supports your response to the dispute. Review Stripe’s dispute evidence best practices for additional guidance.
Document refunds issued before a dispute
A customer may dispute a payment even if you already issued a full or partial refund. A partial refund does not necessarily limit the customer to disputing only the remaining amount.
For example, if you charged a customer $300 and refunded $269 before the dispute, the customer may still dispute the full $300 charge. The amount shown in Stripe as the disputed amount determines the amount currently in dispute.
If the disputed payment was previously partially refunded, include evidence of that refund in your response. Provide:
- The amount refunded.
- The date of the refund.
- Documentation or screenshots showing the refund.
- An explanation that the customer already received the applicable partial refund.
Stripe recommends responding with refund evidence when a customer disputes a partially refunded payment. The issuer may use that evidence to correct the amount being disputed. See Stripe’s best practices for disputes on partially refunded payments.
Note: If a customer disputes the full payment after receiving a partial refund, Stripe may debit the full disputed amount while the dispute is being reviewed. Submit evidence of the earlier refund so the issuer can account for money the customer has already received.
Once a formal dispute is open, do not attempt to resolve the disputed amount by issuing another refund outside the dispute process. Follow Stripe’s dispute process for the open dispute.
Frequently asked questions
How much time do I have to respond to a dispute?
Stripe sets a response deadline for each dispute. Review the deadline in your Stripe connected account dashboard and respond before it expires.
See Stripe’s Respond to disputes documentation for more information.
Can FareHarbor respond to a dispute for me?
No, you are responsible for managing and responding to disputes through your Stripe connected account dashboard. FareHarbor does not manage disputes for FareHarbor Desk accounts.
For additional information about payments and disputes in FareHarbor Desk, see PayOps for FareHarbor Desk: Payout schedule and disputes.
Can a customer dispute a payment I already partially refunded?
Yes. A customer may dispute the full payment or a different amount after a partial refund.
Check the disputed amount in Stripe rather than assuming that only the unrefunded balance is being disputed. If the dispute includes money you already refunded, submit evidence showing the refund amount and date.
What happens if I win a dispute?
If the dispute is resolved in your favor, Stripe returns the disputed amount according to its dispute process. Dispute fees are handled separately and may depend on your Stripe account country, card network, and Stripe agreement.
What happens if I lose a dispute?
If the dispute is resolved in the customer’s favor, you lose the amount awarded through the dispute, along with any applicable dispute fees.
For a previously partially refunded payment, the dispute status alone may not represent your final financial impact. The issuer may account for the previous refund when resolving the dispute.
Are tips handled separately during a dispute?
No. Although FareHarbor Desk can track the payment amount and tip separately, Stripe disputes apply to the card charge. A tip is not treated as a separate type of charge for the purpose of determining the disputed amount.