Terms & Conditions of Driving Tuition

1. Definitions & Regulatory Standards

• “Instructor” means an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) or licensed trainee instructor authorised by Us and registered with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).
• Tuition Contract: Your driving tuition is governed by a contract between You and Your assigned Instructor. We facilitate course management, customer bookings, and standards, while the delivery of on-road tuition is provided directly by Your Instructor.

2. Learner Driver Requirements & Medical Fitness

Driving tuition is strictly provided to individuals who satisfy all UK legal driving requirements:

• You must be aged 17 or over (or aged 16 if in receipt of the enhanced rate mobility component of PIP / higher rate Disability Living Allowance).
• You must hold a valid UK provisional (or full) driving licence.
• You must be legally entitled to drive in the UK and satisfy the statutory eyesight standard (reading a standard vehicle number plate from 20 metres away, wearing corrective lenses if required). Your Instructor reserves the right to re-check your eyesight at any point during tuition.
• Licence Inspection: You must present Your physical driving licence (and share code if requested) to Your Instructor before tuition commences on Your first lesson. If You fail to produce Your licence, the lesson will not go ahead, and You will remain liable for the lesson fee.
• Medical Notifications: You must notify Your Instructor immediately of any change to Your health, eyesight, or medical condition, or any new prescription medication that may affect Your legal entitlement or fitness to drive.
• Clothing & Footwear: You must wear suitable footwear and clothing that allows safe, unrestricted vehicle operation.

3. Fitness to Drive, In-Car Rules & Conduct

• Sobriety & Fatigue: You must be physically and mentally fit to operate a vehicle safely. If Your Instructor suspects You are under the influence of alcohol, illegal substances, prescription medication affecting alertness, or extreme fatigue, the lesson will be terminated immediately. You will be charged the full lesson fee.
• Smoking & Vaping: Smoking and the use of e-cigarettes/vapes are strictly prohibited inside the tuition vehicle at all times. Eating or drinking (other than bottled water) is permitted only with the Instructor’s express consent.
• Mutual Respect: You agree to treat Your Instructor with courtesy and respect and follow all reasonable directions regarding road safety, public safety, and vehicle operation.
• Fines and Traffic Endorsements: While your Instructor will use dual controls where necessary to maintain road safety, You remain legally responsible for any deliberate non-compliance, dangerous behaviour, or road traffic offences that result in penalty points or fines.
• Personal Belongings: We and Your Instructor accept no liability for any personal belongings damaged, lost, or left inside the tuition vehicle.

4. Bookings, Deposits & Payments

• Initial Deposit: A non-refundable deposit equal to the price of a one-hour lesson is required when booking your first lesson.
• 24-Hour Advance Payment: All subsequent lessons must be paid in full at least 24 hours in advance via the agreed payment method.
• Accepted Payment Methods: Card payments (where card terminal facilities are available), bank transfer, or cash by prior agreement with your Instructor.
• Price Changes: We reserve the right to review and adjust lesson prices periodically. You will receive reasonable advance notice of any rate changes before they take effect for future bookings.
• Block Bookings: Block booking packages must be paid in full upfront. Block-booked hours remain valid for 9 months from the date of purchase. Any unused hours remaining after 9 months will expire without refund.
• Non-Transferable: Lesson credits, pre-paid courses, and gift vouchers cannot be sold or transferred to any third party without our prior written consent.

5. Cancellations, Punctuality & Locations

• Student Cancellation Notice: You must provide at least 24 hours’ notice to Your Instructor if You need to cancel or reschedule a booked lesson.
• Required Acknowledgment: Cancellations must be directly acknowledged and confirmed by Your Instructor (via SMS, WhatsApp, or phone call) to be deemed valid.
• Late Cancellations: Lessons cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice will be charged in full.
• Punctuality & Waiting Window: If You arrive late, Your lesson will end at the scheduled finish time to avoid impacting subsequent pupils. If You do not arrive at the agreed pick-up location, Your Instructor will wait for 10 minutes before departing. After 10 minutes, the session will be logged as a missed lesson and charged in full.
• Pick-up and Drop-off Locations: Lessons will begin and end at the agreed address. Any request to finish at an alternative location must be agreed with Your Instructor at least 24 hours in advance and must not compromise the Instructor’s travel schedule for subsequent pupils.
• Repeated Cancellations: We reserve the right to terminate your tuition contract if You incur more than 3 short-notice cancellations.

6. Instructor Cancellations & Breakdowns

• Instructor Punctuality: Your Instructor will make every effort to arrive on time. Delays caused by heavy traffic, accidents, or adverse road conditions will be communicated to You as early as possible.
• Unforeseen Cancellations: If Your Instructor is forced to reschedule or cancel a lesson due to mechanical failure, breakdown, severe weather, or unforeseen emergency:
  • You will not be charged any fee.
  • The session will be rebooked at the earliest mutually convenient date.
• Consequential Loss: Neither We nor Your Instructor shall be held liable for any consequential losses (such as lost working hours or external expenses) arising from a mechanical breakdown or unexpected cancellation, unless caused by direct negligence.

7. DVSA Practical Driving Tests

• Vehicle Use Approval: Booking a practical driving test must always be agreed upon with Your Instructor in advance. If You book a test independently without prior agreement, We accept no obligation to provide a tuition vehicle.
• Test Readiness & DVSA Deadlines: Your Instructor reserves the professional right to withhold the vehicle for test use if, in their assessment, Your driving standard does not meet DVSA safety criteria. If Your Instructor advises that You are not test-ready, You will be guided to reschedule Your test in accordance with the DVSA notice deadline (currently 10 full working days) to avoid forfeiting Your DVSA test fee.
• Test Hire Fee: The use of the tuition vehicle on test day is billed at the agreed driving test rate, covering pre-test preparation, travel, and the examination period.
• DVSA Cancellations (Weather, Strikes, Examiner Absence): If the DVSA cancels Your driving test on short notice due to adverse weather, examiner illness, or industrial action, the agreed fee for vehicle hire and pre-test tuition remains payable to Your Instructor. Pupils may seek reimbursement for eligible out-of-pocket expenses directly through the DVSA claims procedure.

8. Refunds & Consumer Rights

• Statutory Cooling-Off Period: For bookings made online or over the telephone, You have a statutory right under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 to cancel within 14 days of payment for a full refund. If You explicitly request lessons to begin within this 14-day window, You waive the right to a refund for any lessons already conducted.
• Block Booking Refunds: Unused pre-paid block bookings may be refunded within 3 months of purchase upon request. Lessons already delivered will be recalculated at the standard single hourly rate, and the remaining balance will be returned.
• Lapsed Accounts: No refund is payable where a period of 3 months has elapsed without lesson attendance or pupil communication. Free promotional lessons or competition prizes carry no cash value and are strictly non-refundable.

9. Privacy, CCTV & Dashcams

All personal data is processed strictly in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018:

• Vehicle CCTV & Audio: For the personal safety of both pupil and instructor, accident documentation, and insurance validation, vehicles may be equipped with front, rear, and internal dashcam systems recording video and audio.
• Data Retention: Standard dashcam footage is recorded on a continuous overwrite loop (typically 14 to 30 days) and is not permanently retained unless required to investigate an incident, road collision, or legal dispute.
• Call Recording: Telephone conversations may be monitored or recorded for operational training, administrative accuracy, and evidential records.
• Pass Photographs & Social Media: We may invite You to take a photograph upon passing Your test to celebrate Your achievement on Our website and social channels. Participation is entirely voluntary, and You may decline without giving a reason. We will never disclose private contact details alongside your photo.

10. Termination & Complaints

• Termination: Either party may terminate the tuition agreement by providing one week’s written notice. Any eligible prepaid fees will be settled in accordance with our refund terms.
• Complaints: We take pride in delivering professional tuition. If You encounter any issue or concern, please raise it directly with Your Instructor first. If the matter remains unresolved, please contact management at ab-drive-anchor.co.uk in writing for an impartial review.