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Terms and conditions

The following terms and conditions represent the basis upon which I offer driving lessons and courses to you the pupil. By taking lessons with me you automatically agree to the terms and conditions.

General conduct

I will be courteous, polite, tidy and punctual. I will behave in a professional and ethical manner at all times. My training car will be well maintained, clean and tidy (weather permitting). My car is fitted with dual-controls and is fully insured for driving tuition purposes. I will not smoke in the training car at anytime, nor will I use your lesson time for any other form of business, personal or otherwise without your expressed permission.

Qualifications

I am legally authorised to give driving lessons in the UK as assessed by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

Driving licence and eyesight

Before we go out on your first lesson I will need to see and check that you are in possession of a current provisional or full driving licence.

Standards of vision for driving, you must be able to read with glasses or contact lenses a number plate at a distance of 20.5 metres (67 feet—about 5 car lengths), you will be required to read a number plate on your first lesson and at the beginning of your driving test. If you need to wear glasses or contact lenses to read number plates and drive, please remember to bring them with you or be wearing your contact lenses when you come out for your lesson.

Changes in circumstances and under the influence

Please ensure that you are medically fit to drive by informing me if there is any reason why you cannot drive safely or legally. This includes the loss of your valid driving licence, and also includes but is not limited to, being under the influence of drink or drugs, including prescribed medication that may affect your ability to drive. You must inform me of any new medication and changes to medication that you are taking prior to our lessons. This will allow me to assess if the lesson can still go ahead.

If you have any medical condition and you are not sure if your ability to drive is affected, please speak with your doctor and the DVLA to report any notifiable medical condition.

Safety and comfort

Safety is a shared responsibility, but as your driving instructor sole safety responsibility is mine. It is important you act responsibly at all times and give your full attention to the driving task at hand. If for any reason something should distract you in any way during your lesson it is important that you make me aware of this fact, particularly if it is something that I am doing.

Similarly if you are feeling uncomfortable or uneasy about a driving task please let me know, this will give us a chance to review your goals for the lesson and amend the lesson if needed to help you achieve your goals on your lesson.

I will make every effort to avoid you breaking the law or committing traffic offences – you are under my close supervision during every lesson and so in an emergency situation it is important you follow my instructions and allow me to take control of the car if needed to avoid an incident. This could be by verbal instruction, taking control of the steering wheel or by the use of my dual brake and or clutch, however I cannot accept any responsibility of you breaking the law, this includes speeding, traffic offences, regulations or laws that you could break whilst driving. Any fines or penalties are legally the sole responsibility of the driver. It is an offence on my part if I fail to give the driver’s details to the police when asked to provide that information as to who was driving at the time of an offence. If I have needed to take control of the vehicle then as soon as it is safe to do so I will advise you of my actions and why my actions were necessary and help you to calm down if required. After that we will have a discussion to help you learn from the experience and how best to avoid any given situation in the future.

I will do my best to deliver any instructions or take any actions (even in an emergency) in a calm, friendly and relaxed manner to make you feel at ease during your lesson so as not to alarm you or make you feel uncomfortable or disheartened in any way.

If for any reason you feel or become unwell, overcome by tiredness or your emotional state of mind affects you during your lesson, we can with your agreement end the lesson early or choose an alternative learning activity which can still be undertaken safely.

For your own comfort and safety wear suitable footwear and clothing which does not restrict movement or which is inappropriate, or could lead to an embarrassing situation.

Cancellations and punctuality

If you cancel your lesson with less than 48 hours notice, you will be liable for the price of what your lesson would have been charged at. Frequent cancellations and non repeat bookings interrupt the continuity of learning and may result in loss of lessons. If you have booked a 2 hour lesson and are looking to reduce to an hour instead, 48 hours notice is required to change your booking. Changes to your lesson booking on the day will still be charged at the rate initially booked.

I will arrive punctually for your lesson before the start time. If you have not arrived after 5 minutes from the lesson start time I will text you. If you have still not arrived or contacted me within 15 minutes, I will cancel your lesson which will then be charged at the price of your lesson. If we agree to meet in a place that is not outside where you live I will text and let you know when I have arrived.

If you are late for your lesson, your lesson time will be reduced as I cannot be late for my next student. You will still be charged the full price of the lesson, as this is considered ‘cancelling’ part of your lesson with less than 24 hours notice.

If I have to cancel your lesson through no fault of my own, for circumstances such as mechanical breakdown of the tuition car, delay due to heavy traffic, bad weather which may affect your ability to learn safely, or the previous student’s lesson or driving test having overrun, or for any other unavoidable reason that means I cannot arrive at your lesson within good time, I will make up any lesson time lost as a result of this at the end of the normal lesson or at another time that is convenient for you. I cannot be held responsible for any costs incurred as a result of me having to postpone any lessons, for any reason, but I will do my best to rescheduled any lesson at a convenient time for you.

If I am late to your lesson for reasons such as the above, you will still receive the full lesson time.

If I feel your behaviour or attitude whilst driving is threatening, dangerous, or compromises safety, I reserve the right to cancel the lesson in progress and any future lessons. I cannot risk a driver who threatens their own safety, my safety, other road users or pedestrians.

Payments and refunds

Lessons are to be paid for in advance of training by bank transfer, or driving lesson gift vouchers supplied by me. I can accept payments in the form of cash on the day only with prior agreement. If you have paid for a block booking and wish to discontinue lessons for any reason, I can refund the remaining hours at the price that you paid for them. I cannot issue a refund for any lessons already taken. If you are dissatisfied with a lesson for any reason, please talk to me as soon as possible and we may be able to work something out.

Lesson price increases, should lesson prices increase, you will receive 28 days notice prior to the increase. Any prepaid lessons or block booking will be honoured at the previous price, even if the lessons paid for are taken after the date of increase.

Driving tests

Bookings

Theory and Driving tests can be booked by either you or me. If I book your test for you, the test will belong to me, and I reserve the right to cancel your test at any given time. Once you have paid for your test, the test will belong to you and I will only cancel or move it upon your request. I am looking to keep driving tests to a Friday, this way it doesn’t affect other pupils’ lessons. If unfortunately a pupil is unable to do a driving tests on a Friday and it is booked on another day this will take priority over lessons. Therefore, your lesson may be postponed to allow for this driving test and an alternative day and time will be offered to suit you. If the DVSA cancels your driving test booking, usually because an examiner is unavailable to take your test, if your new test day affects another pupils’ lesson, don’t worry your driving test will take priority, if this happens please advise me as soon as possible so I can make arrangements for the affected pupil. Changes to lesson bookings as a result of above will be notified immediately.

Use of vehicle

In the interest of safety I reserve the right to withdraw the use of the tuition car for driving lessons and practical driving tests if I believe that you are unsafe, not legal, or not up to test standard. If I believe that you are not up to test standard, we will discuss this within plenty of time before your test and discuss the options available to you.

I reserve the right to refuse to take you to your driving test if you have not told me when your driving test is and therefore I am unavailable, or if you have not moved your driving test date when I advised you of a need to, or if you have not had regular lessons, or I believe you are unsafe to be driving my tuition car by yourself on test.

Test cancellation

If you need to cancel your driving test you need to give three clear working days (Sundays and public holidays do not count as working days) as required by the DVSA, as notice of test cancellation or postponement. Therefore to cancel a test booked for a Friday you need to do this online no later than the previous Monday therefore giving three clear working days (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday). If you do need to cancel your driving test within the three clear working days notice this will result in the loss of your test fee.

I cannot be held responsible for any postponement or cancellation of tests by you or the DVSA at short notice, but you can claim out of pocket expenses for late cancellations by the DVSA. You can apply for a refund for out of pocket expenses for your theory test or driving test if your test is cancelled with less than three clear working days’ notice by visiting www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-for-refunding-out-of-pocket-expenses.

Complaints

In the event of a complaint I would be extremely grateful if you would give me the opportunity to resolve the matter in the first instance, please do not let a problem linger.

Your statutory rights

Nothing in these terms and conditions will reduce your statutory rights relating to faulty goods or services provided. I have a statutory obligation to provide you with goods and services fit for the purpose for which they were bought and as described. If you have any doubts about your statutory rights please contact your local Trading Standards Department or Citizen’s Advice Bureau.