If you decide to fight a chargeback, the strength of your evidence is everything. For septic, grease trap, and portable-waste work, almost every dispute comes down to one question: can you prove the job was done? This guide covers what to include and what wins each type of dispute for the kind of work you run.
Before you start
You usually get one shot. There's no back-and-forth — whatever you submit is what the bank reviews. Make it count.
Deadlines are short. Typically 7–14 days from when the chargeback is filed. You're alerted by email and in your dashboard the moment one comes in — see Understanding Chargebacks & Disputes.
The bank has zero context. The reviewer has never seen a pump truck or a service contract. Spell out what the job was, which property it was at, when it happened, and why the charge is valid.
When in doubt, include more. A completed work order plus site photos plus a signed ticket beats a one-line explanation every time.
What every strong response includes
Whatever the dispute, cover these bases:
A short written explanation — what service was performed, at which property, on what date, and why the charge is valid.
Proof the customer authorized the charge — the invoice, the job on record, or a saved-card authorization.
Proof the service was completed — your strongest evidence. The completed work order, the service date, before/after photos, technician notes, a signed ticket, and the waste manifest or disposal record.
Customer communication — texts, emails, or notes about the job or the bill.
Your policies — cancellation, no-access / trip-charge, and recurring-service terms, plus evidence the customer agreed to them.
💡 Where this lives in TankTrack: most of your evidence is already attached to the job — the completed work order, site photos, the electronic signature, and any waste manifest or trip ticket. Pull the job record first; it usually has most of what you need.
Winning evidence by dispute type
"I never received service"
The most common dispute in this industry — the customer says the job was never done. Proof the service was completed is what wins it, not proof you dispatched a truck.
The completed job / work order in TankTrack, with the service date and time
Before/after photos taken at the property
A signed work order or electronic signature from the site
The waste manifest, trip ticket, or disposal / dump record tied to the job
Route or turn-by-turn history showing your truck at the service address
Technician notes describing what was done
"We sent a truck" won't win this. Show the tank was pumped, the trap was cleaned, or the unit was serviced.
"I was charged but you couldn't do the work" — trip / no-access charges
Your crew showed up but couldn't complete the job — locked gate, blocked driveway, tank not dug out or located, unit inaccessible — and you billed a trip or dry-run fee. The bank is weighing your policy against the customer's expectation.
Your no-access / trip-charge policy, and proof the customer agreed to it
Dispatch or route records showing your crew arrived at the property
Driver photos of the obstruction (locked gate, buried tank, blocked access)
Driver notes from the attempted service
If the customer never clearly agreed to a trip or no-access charge, this is hard to defend — make sure that term is in your estimates and contracts.
"I canceled but was still charged" — recurring service contracts
Common with recurring septic, grease, or portable-rental billing. The customer says they canceled before the billing date, and the bank is looking at timing.
The service contract and its cancellation terms
When the customer actually canceled vs. when the charge ran
Proof service was still scheduled or performed during the billed period"I never authorized this" — Fraud / unrecognized charge
Less common for scheduled local work, but it happens with saved cards on recurring accounts. You need to connect the charge to this customer and this property.
The service address matches the customer's property, with a job on record there
A signed work order or a saved-card authorization on file
Prior payment or communication history on the account
For online payments: the IP or device info tied to the payment
Showing a charge happened isn't enough — tie it to this customer and this job.
"I was charged twice" — Duplicate payment
Often two real services read as duplicates — two tanks on one property, two locations, or two visits in a month.
Invoices or receipts for each job
A clear explanation of why each charge is valid (separate tanks, sites, or service dates)
Refund confirmation if you've already issued one
If it truly was a double charge, refund it rather than fighting.
"I'm owed a refund I never got" — Credit not processed
Your refund policy
Proof the refund was processed (transaction record, confirmation)
A timeline of when the request came in and when you handled it
If a refund was owed and never issued, it's better to issue it now than fight the dispute.
"I don't recognize this charge" — General dispute
A broad complaint, so answer broadly: the completed job, the invoice, your service-completion proof, all communication, and your policies with evidence the customer agreed. Leave no open question.
When it doesn't make sense to fight
Not every dispute is worth responding to. Consider accepting the chargeback if:
You have no proof the service was completed — no photos, signed ticket, or manifest
The charge was a genuine mistake (wrong property, wrong amount, or a true duplicate)
A refund was owed and never issued
Your trip-charge or cancellation policy was never clearly presented or agreed to
Fighting a weak case costs time and can add fees. If the facts aren't on your side, accepting it — and tightening your paperwork for next time — is often the better call.
ℹ️ This is general guidance, not legal advice. For help with a specific dispute, reach out to TankTrack support.
Related: Understanding Chargebacks & Disputes | Refund a Payment