Terms and conditions
Updated August 2024
Introduction
The following terms and conditions represent the basis upon which driving lessons and courses are offered to you by the Broughton School of Motoring.
If you take driving lessons with us, you are assumed to have accepted these terms and conditions in their entirety.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Definitions:
- 'you' and ‘pupil(s)’ means the person taking the course, ie you.
- 'we', 'us' and ‘your instructor’ means the Broughton School of Motoring.
General - conduct of your instructor
Your instructor is bound by the DVSA code of conduct. He will be courteous, polite and behave in a professional and ethical manner.
Your instructor’s car will be well maintained, clean and tidy. The car is fitted with dual-controls.
Qualifications
Your driving license, eyesight and health
You must be of legal age to drive and produce a valid UK/Northern Ireland provisional Category B driving licence.
Your photocard (or old style paper licence) must be supplied before your first lesson.
For motorway, Pass Plus or refresher lessons a full valid licence must be produced.
You must meet the minimum eye test requirements, which means you must be able to read a standard UK approved number plate at a minimum distance of 20 metres (67 feet). If you need to wear glasses or contact lenses in order to meet this requirement then by law you must wear them whenever you drive.
Pupils are reminded of the laws regarding alcohol and drugs, and should present themselves for a lesson in a fit state to drive. We reserve the right to cancel the lesson if we think the pupils judgement is impaired. In this instance, the full lesson fee will be payable.
COVID-19
Payments and cancellation
All payments for driving lessons should be made by bank transfer at least 24 hours before the lesson is due to start. Cash on the day is not accepted. Failure to pay at least 24 hours in advance for your lesson will result in cancellation.
We will do everything possible to ensure that your lessons start and finish on time, but we reserve the right to cancel, postpone or change lesson lengths and start/finish times under certain circumstances (e.g., dangerous weather conditions, traffic disruption). In the event of postponement any fees paid in advance will be carried forward.
We will cancel a lesson if it is suspected that the pupil may be unfit due to the effects of alcohol, drugs (prescribed or otherwise) or any other other factor that would cause his/her driving to be dangerous or illegal. In such circumstances the full lesson fee will be payable.
Block bookings and gift vouchers are valid for a period of six months.
- Weekly driving lessons
If you need to cancel a lesson at least 24 hours notice is required. If less than 24 hours notice is given you may be charged for the missed lesson.
- Intensive courses
Intensive courses must be paid for in full two weeks prior to the commencement date of the course.
If you cancel your course more than seven days before it’s due to start you will receive a full refund. If you give less than seven days notice you may not receive a refund but you can rearrange it for a later date.
If you start the course but cannot complete it you can finish it at a later date but your driving test will have to be cancelled. If you stop part way through the course and do not wish to complete it at a later date you will not get a refund.
If I cannot provide the course due to unforeseen reasons (e.g., car breakdown) I will refund or rearrange your course, you can choose.
IMPORTANT: Whilst every effort is made to get the pupil to the required level to take the driving test, if the pupil’s standard of driving falls below test standard the pupil will not be allowed to take the test to protect the health and safety of the pupil, examiner and general public. The instructor’s decision in these matters is final. No refund will be made in these circumstances.
If the test has to be cancelled at short notice and the test fee cannot be recovered from the DVLA, the pupil will have to pay for any rearranged test.
Buddy lessons
Buddy lessons are two hours in length.
While every effort is made to give each person an equal amount of driving time, in practice this may not be possible.
If one person can't make it, the other person has a two hour driving lesson and pays the two hourly rate, currently £60.
Damage to the vehicle
During lessons, your instructor will make every effort to avoid damage to the car but during driving tests the examiner will not prevent you from hitting the kerb or causing other similar minor damage to the car.
Therefore damage caused by you whilst on test may be charged to you.
Driving Tests
(a) Bookings
Driving tests can be booked by you or by your instructor. 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 your instructor as soon as they are known, otherwise he cannot guarantee to provide a vehicle for the test.
(b) Use of Vehicle
Your driving instructor will ensure the test vehicle is fully roadworthy and complies with the legal requirements for taking driving tests. However, the instructor cannot be held responsible for vehicle failures that may occur during the test and is not liable for consequential loss.
In the interests of customer and public safety your instructor reserves the right to withhold the use of the driving school car for the test if, in their opinion, your driving is not up to test standard.
There is a minimum two hour charge for the use of our car during the test.
We do allow driving lessons to be conducted in the learners own car if required although the learner must be of a particular level of driving experience, the car must be fully insured, taxed and if appropriate have a valid MOT. These documents may be required to be shown to the driving instructor before the lesson commences.
(c) Test cancellation
Your instructor cannot be held responsible for any postponement or cancellation of tests by the DVLA. In that event, the two hour fee for hiring the car for the test is still payable. However, he or she will do all that is possible to arrange another test as quickly as possible and to help you to reclaim expenses.
Punctuality
If your instructor is going to be late for the lesson he will make every effort to inform you of the estimated time of arrival. If the delay is greater than 5 minutes this time will be credited 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 or the payment due for the lesson may be reduced accordingly.
If you are late for your lesson, then that time will be lost.
Learner comfort & safety
In the interests of comfort and safety learners are advised to wear suitable footwear and clothing which does not restrict movement.
Learners must also take note of any medication they are taking that may affect their ability to drive safely and advise their instructor accordingly.
Complaints procedure
We place a real emphasis on communication and there’s always a way to get in touch with us, should you need any help or advice.
But in the unlikely event you feel things aren’t going as well as you would like, please follow the official DVSA complaints procedure.
For more details, please click here.