[tomatocracy]

I agree that chargebacks should be the first port of call here. My experience with that route has been great.

But small claims isn't as difficult as you make out, at least in the UK. In some areas there are specialist law firms who do all the work for you and will to take the case no win/no fee (but often they will take a share of any award as well as full court-awarded costs in return). Their entire business model is to make the process as pain-free as possible for you.

This works because some companies have a policy of ignoring and/or fobbing you off continually but will immediately settle when you issue proceedings against them because the cost to them of any outcome which involves going to court (win or lose) is higher than the cost of settling (eg Ryanair is pretty notorious for this).