Terms & Conditions

Terms and Conditions

The provision of training is subject to the acceptance of these terms and conditions.

1. Driving licenses and fitness to drive:

You must hold a current, valid UK driving license, provisional or full and produce it on (or in advance of) your first lesson. You must be fit to drive with regard to legal and medical requirements. Your PDS instructor reserves the right to cancel any lesson at any time if the pupil is unfit to drive due to drink, drugs or prescribed medicine, fatigue or unfit for any other reason or condition that would cause his/her driving to be dangerous or illegal. In such circumstances the lesson fee will be payable in full.

2. Payments and Cancellation:

Tuition fees are normally payable 48hrs in advance or on the day of lesson if pre arranged with your instructor. Payment can be made by Cash or Bank transfer.

If you need to cancel or re-arrange a lesson at least 48 hours notice will be required for any lesson up to two hours duration. Longer lessons need a minimum of four days notice. Failure to do so will result in you being charged for the full cost of the lesson. Any money paid for in advance including test fees may be used to cover any costs incurred by failing to give notice.

If for any reason you are unable to pay in advance or on the day without prior agreement with your instructor will add an extra £5 charge on your lesson.

Your instructor will do everything possible to ensure that your lessons start and finish on time, but reserves the right to cancel, postpone or change lesson lengths and start/finish times under certain circumstances, e.g., dangerous weather conditions or problems with the training car. In the event of postponement, fees paid in advance will be carried forward.

3. Sickness & Heath:

Your instructor reserves the right to cancel a lesson at any time if he/she feels unwell and unable to conduct a lesson due to health reasons.

If you become unwell due to something minor like sore throat/cough but feel ok within yourself and able to do your lesson please inform your instructor at the earliest convince, your instructor may ask you to wear a face mask to prevent spreading anything to themselves or the other pupils that use the car.

If however you have something more serious like a flu/Covid and think you are contagious, then once again please inform you instructor and cancel your lesson for that week, please remember that our 48hr cancellation notice is still valid in this situation.

4. Block Bookings:

When paying for a block booking of 10 hrs you are entering into an agreement with your instructor that you will complete the 10hrs of instruction at the discounted rate, if for any reason you cannot complete the 10hrs you can request a refund, you will be charged full price on the lessons that have been completed and refunded the difference. Block bookings, vouchers and advanced payments are valid for 6 months, after this time they expire and are invalid.

5. Bookings and Lesson duration:

Your instructor will endeavour to maintain regular lesson slots at the same time each week to ensure continuity of learning, however, this cannot be guaranteed.

The minimum lesson period is one hour. If, for any reason, the instructor is late for the lesson he/she will make a concerted effort to inform the pupil of the estimated time of arrival. If the delay is greater than 15 minutes this time will be credited to the pupil and when possible the lesson will be extended by the time due – if this is not possible the extra time will be carried forward to the next suitable lesson.

If you are running late for your lesson, your instructor will wait up to 15mins from the arranged start time of your lesson, if you have not contacted your instructor in that time your lesson will be cancelled and you will be charged for the lesson in full.

Your instructor reserves the right to discontinue your lessons if you repeatedly cancel lessons. This will come into effect if you cancel three lessons in a row without prior arrangement.

6. Training Location:

All sessions will start and finish at the same location unless alternative arrangements are made in advance. The instructor will determine a location for practical lessons which ensures both the pupil’s and public safety – this means that the instructor may need to drive the pupil to and from the lesson location; this journey time forms part of the lesson as paid for.

7. Training vehicles:

Training vehicles provided by your instructor are taxed, insured for the purposes of driving tuition and the UK DVSA driving test, fully roadworthy and fitted with dual controls.

Pupils who require tuition in their own vehicle must supply evidence from their motor insurer that the car is covered for lessons when being supervised by a professional instructor in return for payment; the car must also be taxed and hold a current MOT certificate where appropriate. If a pupil wishes to use there own car this must be agreed by the instructor in advance. Lesson prices remain the same in any circumstance.

8. Driving tests and bookings:

Theory:

Your instructor is happy to book your theory test for you at no extra cost, however the pupil will need to pay the instructor the current DVSA test fee in advance of the test being booked, ( ask your instructor for the current DVSA fee.) If the pupil wishes to book there own Theory test they do so at their own risk. Your instructor and PDS are not liable if you use a method of booking that charges you a booking fee above the cost of the test.

Practical test:
Your instructor will book your practical test for you when it is agreed between pupil and instructor that the pupil is of a standard required to pass the UK driving test. The DVSA test fee must be paid in advance to your instructor before the test will be booked. If the pupil decides to book a practical test on there own accord, there is no guarantee that the PDS instructor will agree to take the pupil to test. This could result in the pupil losing their test fee and unable to take the test, therefore we strongly advise against this.

Your instructor reserves the right to refuse use of a driving school vehicle for test if he/she considers that supplying a vehicle could cause a risk to the pupil, training car or public safety.

If a pupil books their own test, it is their responsibility to forward their confirmation email to their instructor, as well as text and verbal confirmation so no misunderstanding occurs.

The booking period for the test will be based upon the instructor’s normal diary schedule. Depending on the time of the test this will require a minimum two hour booking and possibly longer.

While your instructor will make every effort to ensure that the vehicle supplied for test will be fully road worthy and comply with all legal requirements at the start of the test, he/she cannot be held responsible for vehicle failure that occurs DURING the test and is not liable for consequential loss.

If for any reason your instructors car incurs a fault in the lesson before your test time and the test cannot take place due to this reason, your instructor will cover the costs of the day (test fee& lesson costs of the day). Any further lessons will not be covered therefore will need to be paid for.

Your instructor cannot be held responsible for test appointments cancelled by the DVSA due to bad weather, sickness, staff shortages or other reasons. Such cancellations are beyond the control of your instructor and therefore the lesson fee and ‘use of car’ fee for the booked period will be charged. Your instructor will advise about claiming compensation from the DVSA.

9. Last minute lessons:

If a pupil is registered for last minute lessons and the pupil chooses to take the discounted lesson time but has a standard lesson booked within a seven day period after this time, the pupil is still bound to there standard lesson. Last minute lessons are there as extra learning and practice time over and above the normal training lessons set out for the pupil.

10. Promotions:

Any promotions offered are subject to availability and all T&C. All promotional prices are a limited time offer so please check with your instructor first. All promotions can not be used in conjunction with any other offer.

11. Vouchers:

Any vouchers purchased are only valid for six months from the date of purchase. If the voucher is for a course of lessons, then the first lesson must be completed before the six month date and subsequent lessons must be booked, however this does not mean the entire course needs to have been completed before the six
month date.

12. Your rights:

These conditions do not affect any protection a student has under consumer legislation.

We reserve the right to change or alter any of the terms and conditions without notice, but will endeavour to inform pupils of any changes as soon as possible.

Many Thanks
Your PDS team