Driving instructor flaky

[Littlebluedot]

Hi

So I found a driving instructor on Facebook with lots of good reviews etc, so I booked with him, he only does block bookings so I booked a block of 10, whilst in the block of ten he asked for another payment to secure my next lessons.

Anyway long story short I've still got 7 hours remaining and my test is in August, he's been on holiday for two weeks and got back on Saturday, I text him on Monday to try and book on my lessons and he said he would sort that evening, I then text yesterday and he said he'd not sorted it yet, I don't want to keep chasing him but I need to get my lessons in soon.

Advice please

Also side note he took me on as an evening student but has since said he can't do evenings so I'm wanting to get them booked in while I'm not working as I've been made redundant, but I'm currently looking for work

Can you make a suggestion? “Hi Bob, can we do tomorrow at 3 for my next lesson”

We’ve got an instructor like this in our area. He’s the only one who insists on taking money up front (the rest are just pay as you go) and then doesn’t follow through with regular lessons. Instead he waits until a pupil is nearing their test date and then tries to cram all the lessons in. My DH is a driving instructor and has take on a few of his disgruntled pupils.

Don’t be afraid to chase him, he has your money! i would insist on a regular schedule of lessons and if he can’t provide this then demand your money back.

@Inastatus yeah the thing is, I'm not confident I'd get a refund!

It's so annoying I just want to do my remaining lessons

@Littlebluedot - just hassle him until you get your lessons booked. If he refuses then take to social media (or threaten to). It’s really not on to take money upfront and behave like this. As I said in my pp, none of the reputable instructors in this area ask for payment in advance.

I've text him again. I'll let you know what he says.

@Littlebluedot - good luck.

@Inastatus he replied and has given me day time lessons for july which is fine for now but if i get a job soon then that will scupper it!

@Littlebluedot that’s good but maybe you should say reply saying that if you get a job you will need to revert to evening lessons as initially agreed. Or maybe he can offer you weekend lessons?

I would have stopped using someone so unreliable and gone to small claims court if needed for the money if its came to that.

I wonder if the driving instructor would be more reliable if his ability to book tests was in jeopardy.

yeah he said he cant do evening lessons before, maybe if i get a job it will push him into it?

I would but i dont know his address?

I would just say something like ‘Appreciate you’re likely still catching up after your holiday, but I really need to know when I can get my lessons arranged. I have 7 hours to be used between now and my test in August, so if you cannot fulfil these hours between now and then, please contact me so we can arrange a refund’

Do you think you would be capable of passing the test with your current driving level?

Triple check he is available for your tests as some driving instructors cancel on the day as they don’t really make any money while their car is in use.

@Welshmonster - they really don’t cancel tests on the day. They still get paid for taking the pupil to and from the test and instructors need to maintain a good pass record to avoid being reassessed by the DVSA.

Seems to happen a lot round my way as I see FB posts in groups about people looking for a driving instructor to do a test as now their one is unavailable

I would imagine the cause of this is the ongoing shortage of driving tests meaning that tests may be scheduled at the other end of the country - so the instructor would be giving up all their lessons on that day, not just one around the test slot.

I had a driving instructor similar, only after I paid did he tell me he was going on holiday for 3 weeks. First lesson was really good, after I paid was rubbish.

I ended up getting a new instructor who was amazing and passed first time with her

@welshmercury - it could be as @SheilaFentiman says or could also be that pupils are forced to book any test date they can grab before being able to check if their instructor can actually make it that day/time. It’s a nightmare!

@Sayithowiseeit did you get a refund?

I'm not working at the minute due to redundancy and all the lessons he's given are during the day but I am looking for work so worry that if and when i get a job that i wont be able to do lessons and not get a refund...

Guess i'll cross that bridge when i get to it