FAQ

Float is a card-linked instalment platform that lets you buy now and pay over up to 12 monthly instalments, interest- and fee-free from Float,* using the available limit on your existing Visa or Mastercard credit card.

Float is designed to help you manage your existing credit card by breaking up your purchase into easy to manage instalments. You don’t need to take out a new loan, and you still get all your rewards points. Before using Float, please consider whether you can comfortably afford the repayments.

*Float charges no interest or fees. Your credit card issuer’s standard terms and conditions, including interest on outstanding balances, will still apply.

Float splits your credit card purchases into monthly instalments (as opposed to charging you the full amount up-front like a regular credit card transaction). This means you only need to settle the instalment amount on your credit card each month, as opposed to the full purchase amount. In short, we buy you more time to settle your credit card balance. Please make sure you can comfortably afford each monthly instalment. 

In summary: 

• Float splits your credit card purchase into monthly instalments. 

• Float does not charge you interest, fees, or late fees.* However, your credit card issuer may charge interest on outstanding balances as usual.

• You’re not taking on any new credit or loans, so there is no sign up, credit check or application process. 

• Because Float charges your card in monthly instalments rather than the full amount, only the instalment amount appears as a charge each month. You continue to earn your card’s reward points as normal. 

*Float charges no interest or fees. Your credit card issuer’s standard terms and conditions, including interest on outstanding balances, will still apply.

Float will soon be available at many online merchants.  

Yes. ‘Float Anywhere’ gives you the same flexible and straightforward way to pay, no matter where you’re purchasing from. Just ask the merchant for a Float QR code or payment link and you’ll be able to pay in instalments, interest- and fee-free from Float. Only available at select merchants in the UK. 

Yes – keeping your information secure is a top priority for us. 

Float uses a PCI DSS Level 1 certified processor (the highest level of credit card data security standards) to handle your credit card data. This means we never store your credit card details and they always remain safely and securely encrypted. Float also makes use of Secure Customer Authentication (via 3DS) to approve your initial payment authorisation, for an added level of security. 

We also fully comply with GDPR in how we handle your personal information. For full details of our Privacy Policy click here. 

You can use Float in 3 steps. There is no sign up process. 

1. Select Float as your payment option at checkout. 
2. Choose your number of instalments. 
3. Enter your credit card details and Float it! 

• At the time of purchase, the first interest-free* instalment is charged, and the remainder of the purchase amount is reserved on your credit card. This reserve reduces your available credit.
• The remaining instalments will be charged on the same day each month until your purchase is fully paid.
  

*Float charges no interest or fees. Your credit card issuer’s standard terms and conditions, including interest on outstanding balances, will still apply.

To pay with Float, all you need is the following: 

• A UK issued Visa or Mastercard credit card (no debit cards). 

• The full purchase amount available on your credit card.
  

Please consider whether you can comfortably afford each monthly instalment before proceeding.

No – when you use Float to make a purchase, there is no application or sign up process. 

Because Float uses your existing credit card, we only require your credit card details and that you have the full amount of your purchase available on your credit card. 

The number of instalments depends on what our merchant partners decide to offer their shoppers. This can range from 2 – 12 monthly instalments.  

Float does not impose any limits on the size of purchases – Float works within the available limit on your credit card. However, some merchants set their own maximum purchase value for Float transactions. Please contact them directly if you’d like to make a purchase larger than their maximum purchase value.

Float works with any UK issued Visa or Mastercard credit card. As with any other credit card purchase, you need to ensure that you have the full purchase amount available on your credit card. 

Yes, we do!  

Float works with any Visa or Mastercard credit card, even if it is a business credit card. Just make sure that the any billing information provided at checkout, as well as the cardholder’s name, is linked to whichever card is being used.  

No. Float only accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards, with the full purchase amount available in your balance. 

You must ensure that you have a valid Visa or Mastercard credit card with the full purchase amount available in your balance. Debit cards, cheque cards, and hybrid cards are not accepted.  

Float does not charge you interest, fees, or late fees.* Please note that your credit card issuer may charge interest and other fees on outstanding balances if you do not settle your credit card balance in time. Before using Float, please consider whether you can comfortably afford each monthly instalment.

*Float charges no interest or fees. Your credit card issuer’s standard terms and conditions, including interest on outstanding balances, will still apply.

Yes. Because you are using your existing credit card, you continue to earn your card’s reward points. In addition, many credit cards offer enhanced rewards for online purchases. As Float transactions are processed online, your purchases may qualify for these rewards.

No. 

Because Float does not issue you with any new credit or loans, we do not run credit checks. 

Float works with the credit you already have on your credit card. There’s no new credit application, so creating an instalment plan won’t show up as one on your credit record.

Float can also help with your credit profile. With a regular purchase, the full amount is charged to your card straight away. With Float, only the instalment is charged on the scheduled dates – so less of your available credit is used at any one time. That keeps your utilisation ratio lower (which looks great on your credit record) and makes it easier to settle your balance each month.

Just make sure you keep the required balance available on your card so your instalment plan stays active. If we’re unable to collect an instalment, the remaining balance may be charged to your card in full, which could increase your utilisation.

The first instalment is charged on the day of the purchase and on the same day each month until your purchase is fully paid. 

• You have not been charged the full purchase amount. 

• At the time of purchase, the first instalment is charged (interest- and fee-free from Float*), and the remainder of the purchase amount is reserved on your credit card. This reserve reduces your available credit until your instalments are complete.

• A reserve is a temporary hold against the credit you have available to spend on your credit card. It is not a charge and is interest-free. This ensures you have available credit to meet your instalment repayments when you make a purchase. The reserve and the instalment amount will show as two separate amounts on your credit card statement.

• The remaining instalments will be charged on the same day each month until your purchase is fully paid.
  

*Float charges no interest or fees. Your credit card issuer’s standard terms and conditions, including interest on outstanding balances, will still apply.

• A reserve (also known as a pre-authorisation) is a temporary hold against the credit you have available to spend on your credit card. It is not a charge and is interest-free.
• The reserve reduces your available credit and ensures you have funds available to meet your instalment repayments when they are due.
• The temporary reserve will generally fall away within 7 to 30 days, depending on your bank. However, even if this amount is released back into your credit limit, it is your responsibility to ensure the outstanding balance is available throughout your instalment plan.
• The reserve may appear as “pending” or “uncleared” in your account until it falls away.

As Float works with your existing credit card and does not issue you new credit, the reserve ensures you have funds available for your remaining instalments by reducing your available credit until your plan is complete.

Remember:

• A reserve (also known as a pre-authorisation) is a temporary hold against the credit you have available to spend on your credit card. It is not a charge and is interest-free.
• The temporary reserve will generally fall away within 7 to 30 days, depending on your bank. However, even if this amount is released back into your credit limit, it is your responsibility to ensure the outstanding balance is available throughout your instalment plan.
• The reserve may appear as “pending” or “uncleared” in your account until it falls away.

• The temporary reserve will generally fall away within 7 to 30 days, depending on your bank. However, even if this amount is released back into your credit limit, it is your responsibility to ensure the outstanding balance is available throughout your instalment plan. 

• The reserve may appear as “pending” or “uncleared” in your account until it falls away. 

Instalments are your monthly repayments for your purchase that are charged to your credit card. 

A reserve (also known as a pre-authorisation) is a hold against the credit you have available to spend on your credit card. It is not a charge and is  interest-free.

The reserve reduces your available credit until your instalments are complete. This ensures you have available credit to meet your instalment repayments when you make a purchase. 

Please make sure you have enough available credit on your card to cover each instalment. 

If a scheduled instalment cannot be collected, we may collect the remaining reserved balance from your card. 

We will email you reminders about upcoming instalments before they are due, so please make sure you have enough balance left on your credit card to allow for these. 

If a payment is unsuccessful, you will be given 7 days to make sure you have a valid credit card with enough balance. During this time, we will reattempt to collect the instalment.  

After 7 days, if we are unable to collect the instalment, we will charge the previously held reserve on your card for the remaining balance of your purchase and your instalment plan will be complete. If we are unable to do so, you’ll be required to provide us with another payment method to collect the outstanding balance. 

Float regularly emails you a statement for your remaining instalments and gives you access to the Float Shopper Portal where you can view your instalment plans whenever you want. 

You can also check your monthly credit card statements, or online banking, to see the monthly charges deducted by Float for your purchases. 

Your instalment plan schedule is set up at the time of purchase, and the remaining instalments are charged on the same date each month. This date cannot be changed.  

Your credit card statement will show the monthly instalment amount as a charge from Float to your card.  

Yes!  If you would like to settle early, please contact us at support@choosefloat.com and we will be happy to assist you.  Early repayment will immediately settle your remaining balance with no additional fees. 

You will be emailed a link to the Float Shopper Portal immediately after your purchase, where you can view your Float account. You will be required to use a ‘magic link’ to log in, using the same email address linked to your instalment plan. 

Please contact your bank immediately to cancel or freeze your credit card. 

If your credit card needs to be replaced, you will also need to update your credit card details with Float, which you can do via the Float Shopper Portal. Please be sure to use a valid Visa or Mastercard credit card, with the full remaining balance of the purchase available on your card. If successfully updated, the remaining balance will be reserved on your new credit card.  

You can still pay in instalments using Float, even if your credit card is going to expire during the instalment plan. If your credit card has expired and we are unable to collect instalments from your card, we will email you reminders to update your credit card. You can update your credit card details via the Float Shopper Portal. Please be sure to use a valid Visa or Mastercard credit card, with the full remaining balance of the purchase available on your card. If successfully updated, the remaining balance will be reserved on your new credit card. If you do not update your credit card details during your instalment plan, the remaining balance of your purchase will be captured from your credit card.  

Yes. 

You can update your credit card details via the Float Shopper Portal at any time. Please be sure to use a valid Visa or Mastercard credit card, with the full remaining balance of the purchase available on your card. If successfully updated, the remaining balance will be reserved on your new credit card and future instalments will be charged to the updated card. 

You can cancel your instalment plan at any time by contacting us at support@choosefloat.com. Any remaining instalments must be paid in full when you cancel. Once we receive your request and outstanding balance of your instalment plan, your plan will be closed. 

Float provides a platform to the merchant that allows their shoppers to pay in instalments (interest- and fee-free from Float*).

The merchant is responsible for your order in line with their terms and conditions. As such, any issues with your order are handled by the merchant you purchased from, so please contact them directly. Your instalment plan will continue until the merchant instructs us otherwise. 

Float may, at our discretion, try and help you and the Merchant to resolve problems you have, but this does not change your obligation to make payments to us under the Instalment Plan. 

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about Float, or any Instalment Plan, please contact our customer services team at support@choosefloat.com as soon as possible. We take all complaints seriously and will try to put things right. We may ask you to provide additional information or assistance to help resolve your complaint.

Returns or refunds must happen directly with the merchant where you made your purchase. They will process your request within their normal refund/return policy. Once the merchant has approved the refund, they will notify us and we will adjust your instalment plan or refund money back to you. 

Please contact the merchant you made your purchase from as we are not authorised to cancel your order. They will process your request within their normal refund/return policy.  

Unfortunately, not.  

Refund queries are approved and handled by the merchant you bought from and we have no authority to approve a refund on their behalf.  

If there’s a problem with an item or service you bought and the merchant is refusing to refund you, please let us know and we will do our best to assist you in communicating with the merchant.    

Your instalment plan will continue until the merchant approves your refund or instructs us to adjust your plan. 

If you’d like to raise a complaint, please follow the process below so we can try to resolve it. 

Email support@choosefloat.com with:   

• Your instalment plan number and the word “Complaint” in the subject line; 

• Your full name and contact details (email and phone number); and 

• A clear description of the complaint and the outcome you’re seeking. 

We may request additional information and ask for reasonable assistance to help us investigate and resolve your complaint. 

We will aim to respond to your complaint within 5 business days and resolve your complaint within 21 business days. Our goal is always to resolve your complaint before this timeframe, however if we are unable to, we will notify you explaining why.  

If you’re unhappy with the outcome you may escalate the complaint by emailing support@choosefloat.com or alternatively, communicate to us in writing at the following address: 

Float Complaints Department – 86-90 Paul Street, London, England, EC2A 4NE 

If you remain unhappy with our final response, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Further details will be provided in our final response to your complaint.