Terms and Conditions of Service
Introduction
The following terms and conditions represent the basis upon which I deliver courses to you (the student).
1. 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 any time, nor will I use your lesson time for any other form of business, personal or otherwise without your expressed permission.
2. Qualifications
I am legally authorised to give driving tuition in the UK by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).
3. Course materials
Any course materials required will be supplied at a price agreed separately between you and I.
4. Driving Licence and eyesight
As required by law, you must hold a current, valid driving licence (provisional or full), which must be produced on or in advance of your first driving lesson. You must also check you can read a number plate at a distance of 20.5 metres (i.e. 67 feet - about 5 car lengths) with prescribed visual aids (i.e. contact lenses or glasses) if normally worn. Please note if you need contact lenses or glasses to achieve this, you must make sure you wear them on each and every driving lesson.
5. Safety, comfort and well being
Safety is a shared responsibility as identified below:
a) In the interests of comfort and safety you are advised to wear suitable footwear and clothing.
b) It is important you act responsibly at all times and give your undivided attention to the driving task at hand. Should anything be distracting you during your lesson it is important you make me aware of this fact even if it is something I am doing. Similarly, if you are feeling uncomfortable or uneasy about any driving task please let me know. I will be grateful for your feedback and I will think no less of you for doing this.
c) In an emergency situation it is important you follow my instructions and/or allow me to take control of the steering wheel if necessary, to avoid an incident. I may also need to make use of the dual controls (i.e. brake and or clutch pedals) and thus override your use of them. As soon as it is safe to do so I will advise you of why my actions were necessary and help you to calm down if required. Any subsequent discussion will focus on what can be learnt rather than who was to blame.
d) I will do my best to deliver any instructions or take any actions (even in an emergency) in a calm and measured manner so as not to alarm you or make you feel uncomfortable or disheartened in any way. I will definitely not shout at you or make any sarcastic or derogatory remarks.
e) You can be assured I will not use improper language or suggestive behaviour and/or physical contact.
f) You must take note of any medication you are taking which may affect your ability to drive safely and advise me accordingly before taking any lesson booked. Similarly, you should inform me of anything you feel might impact on your ability to undertake the proposed lesson safely.
g) In the event it becomes apparent you are unable to concentrate due to illness, tiredness, or your emotional state of mind I reserve the right to terminate the lesson early or require your agreement to choose an alternative learning activity which can still be undertaken safely.
6. Driving under the influence
To ensure the safety of you and other road users I reserve the right to cancel any lesson if you are or if I suspect you are under the influence of drugs, legal highs and/or alcohol (prescribed or otherwise). If this occurs the full training fee for the period in question will be lost or charged.
7. Lesson Postponement
You may lose, or be required to pay for, any lessons booked in my diary which are postponed or cancelled by you, especially if this is at short notice and I am unable to obtain new replacement work for those appointment time(s). However, I reserve the right to postpone lessons if I consider the weather or road conditions to be unsuitable or dangerous. Under these circumstances I will endeavour to provide you with a replacement lesson as soon as is practically possible (at no additional cost).
In the event of damage happening to the car – such as a puncture – I am legally obliged to terminate the lesson to make checks to ensure the roadworthiness of my vehicle. My car is equipped with a space saver spare tyre which will prevent me from continuing the lessons until the correct size tyre is mended or replaced.
I will not charge you for the interrupted lesson.
8. Punctuality
In your own interests you are advised to be punctual for your lesson appointments. All such appointments should be recorded (and checked where possible with me) in your diary to ensure mistakes are avoided. I will text you on arrival for the lesson, and would normally wait for you for a maximum of 15 minutes before the lesson would be abandoned. At this point your lesson fee will be forfeited or become due for payment. A reciprocal waiting time may become necessary if I am delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. I will make up any lesson time lost as a result of this at the end of the normal lesson time or as soon as possible.
9. Payments
a) You are required to make payment for the driving lessons in advance or at the time of the training. This will be made at my standard rate of £35 / hour.
b) If you choose to book a block of lessons with me to take advantage of the discounts I offer, you must pay for the full block in advance of the first training session with me. At this point a binding agreement is made between yourself and me. Failure to pay in advance for the block of lessons will result in me charging you for your lessons at my standard rate of £35 / hour. This does not in any way affect your statutory rights to be provided with the goods and services you have bought (please see term 12).
c) A full refund for unused lessons will be given if I cannot satisfy any special requirements you may have.
10. The Driving Test
a) Bookings - Driving tests can be booked by you or me on your behalf. Driving test bookings always take priority over other lessons. Therefore, your lesson may be postponed to allow for someone else's driving test and vice-versa. Changes to lesson bookings as a result of this will be notified immediately. Test appointments must be notified to me as soon as they are known to you, otherwise I cannot guarantee to provide a vehicle for the test or any lessons just prior to it.
b) Use of the vehicle - In the interests of customer and public safety I reserve the right to withhold the use of the training car for the test if, in my opinion, your driving is actually or potentially dangerous - behaviour which if repeated on the test would result in a test failure.
c) Test cancellation - Three clear working days (Sundays and public holidays don't count as working days) notice of test cancellation or postponement is required by the DVSA. Therefore, to cancel a test booked for a Friday you need to do this online no later than the preceding Monday thus giving three clear working days (i.e. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday). Failure to provide the required notice 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. However, I will help to arrange another test as quickly as possible and to reclaim expenses from the DVSA if appropriate.
11. Penalty Points
I will make you aware of the local speed limits – but it is your responsibility to obey them. If you are caught speeding - you will be legally responsible for your own fines and points on your licence.
12. Complaints
In the event of a complaint, I would be extremely grateful if you would give me the opportunity to resolve the matter as soon as possible. Please do not let a problem linger. I will listen to your complaint and endeavour to resolve it quickly for our mutual benefit.
13. 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.
By issuing this document to you, you have my acceptance of the above. Your acceptance of these Terms and Conditions will be indicated by completing the following “Proof of Entitlement to Drive” procedure, I will need the form completed and returned to me prior to booking the first lesson.
Proof of Your Entitlement to Drive
In June 2015 the paper counterpart of the driving licence was abolished and driving licences now consist of just the photo card.
Endorsements, penalty points and driving bans will no longer be recorded on driving licences but will instead only be accessible online.
For insurance purposes, before your first driving lesson your instructor is required to check your full licence details to see the vehicles you’re allowed to drive, and to check for penalty points and disqualifications.
The consequences for not checking the above are very serious and this procedure is in place to protect you, your instructor and the general public.
You must follow these simple steps before booking the 1st lesson.
You’ll need to generate a code which will allow your instructor to check your licence details:
You will need
Your driving licence
Your national insurance number
Your home postcode
Go to this website
https://www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence
Step one: enter your driving licence number, national insurance number and postcode as shown on your driving licence.
Step two: click on “share licence information”. This creates a code. The code is case sensitive, can only be used once, and is only valid for 21 days.
Step three: pass the code to your instructor together with the last eight digits of your driving licence number.
In advance of your first driving lesson your instructor will view your licence details on line. Be aware that your instructor may save a screenshot as evidence of the licence entitlement check.
Please note you should also produce your photo card licence for ID inspection on your first lesson. It is your responsibility to provide your instructor with proof that you have a valid licence to drive, before the commencement of your first lesson. If you fail to provide this proof, your instructor is entitled to refuse to conduct the lesson but still charge you.
