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Disputes and chargebacks

The difference between a MoveMentors dispute and a Stripe / card-network chargeback, what each one does, and when to use which.

Everyone

If you think a booking should be refunded and the host hasn't sorted it out, there are two routes:

  1. A MoveMentors dispute: you ask our team to look at the booking and the host's cancellation policy.
  2. A card chargeback: you ask your bank to reverse a card payment, and the card network (Visa, Mastercard and so on) decides.

They work differently and have different consequences. Start with the host, then use the right route.

When to use a MoveMentors dispute

This should be your first step after talking to the host. Use a dispute when:

  • You are owed a refund under the host's cancellation policy and the host has refused or stopped replying.
  • The class never happened, or was very different from its description (wrong place, wrong time, wrong content).
  • You want someone neutral to look at what happened.

To open one, email support@movementors.com with your booking details, what happened and what you have already tried with the host. Our team looks at both sides and tells you the outcome by email.

See Disputing a booking for more.

When to use a chargeback

A chargeback is a last resort. Consider it only if:

  • You don't recognise the charge at all (possible fraud).
  • The host is unreachable and a MoveMentors dispute hasn't solved a real problem.

A chargeback should not be a shortcut around talking to the host or to us.

Why chargebacks are heavy

A chargeback has consequences:

  • For the host: the disputed amount is held from their Stripe balance while the bank decides, and Stripe usually charges a dispute fee, whatever the outcome.
  • For the student: it can take weeks or longer, and the bank may side with the host if the booking and the class are on record.

How a chargeback works

  1. The student asks their bank to reverse the payment, for example saying they don't recognise it or didn't get what they paid for.
  2. The bank opens a chargeback through the card network.
  3. The amount is taken from the host's Stripe balance and held.
  4. Stripe tells the host, and the dispute appears in the host's Stripe Dashboard.
  5. The host sends evidence before the deadline Stripe shows: the booking details, emails, anything showing the class took place.
  6. The card network decides: either the student keeps the money, or it goes back to the host.
  7. Any dispute fee usually stays with the host.

What hosts should do when they see a chargeback

Speed matters. Sign in to your Stripe Dashboard at dashboard.stripe.com and respond:

  1. Read the reason the bank gives.
  2. Gather evidence:
    • The booking details from MoveMentors.
    • The confirmation email.
    • Any messages with the student.
    • Proof the class took place (an attendance list, for example).
  3. Upload the evidence in Stripe before the deadline.
  4. Wait for the decision.

If you don't respond, you will almost certainly lose. Always respond, even briefly.

Sometimes a chargeback is a misunderstanding, for example a family member used the same card and the student forgot. Contacting the student directly can clear it up.

What students should know about filing chargebacks

Before you call your bank:

  • Have you asked the host? Many refund questions are solved with a polite message.
  • Have you contacted us? Email support@movementors.com and we will look at the booking.
  • Is this really fraud? If you booked the class yourself, the charge isn't fraud, even if the class disappointed you.

If you file a chargeback for a class you booked and that took place, the host can show the booking record, and your bank may side with the host.

How disputes and chargebacks interact

  • You can't be refunded twice for the same payment. If the host has already refunded you, tell your bank.
  • If you have already filed a chargeback, mention it when you email us. The bank's decision applies to the card payment.

Payments made another way

Chargebacks only exist for card payments. For PayPal and similar apps, use that provider's own dispute process. For cash or bank transfers, talk to the host, then email support@movementors.com.

Common questions

Can I open a dispute AND a chargeback at the same time? It's better to pick one. Start with the host, then our team, and keep a chargeback as the last resort.

A student filed a chargeback months after the class. Is this normal? It can happen: card networks allow chargebacks long after a payment. Respond in Stripe with the booking record as usual.

Can chargebacks affect my Stripe account? Yes. Stripe watches dispute rates and can place limits on accounts that get many disputes. Clear class descriptions and a clear cancellation policy help prevent them.

Next steps