To think driving instructor is taking the p***?

[Beagle26]

My DD paid a lot of money for driving lessons, use of the car on the test day and a pre test lesson. She has already had lots of lessons and booked this chap on the understanding that she could use his car on test day. During the first lesson, he said that she was not ready for her test and could not use his car as he would be ‘liable’. Her test ended up being cancelled due to a Covid outbreak at the test centre (with a week’s notice). When she turned up for her next lesson, the instructor said there was no point continuing with the lessons, given the test cancellation.

To cut to the point, instructor is refusing to issue a refund for any of the lessons (including use of his car for the test, despite his saying on first lesson that he wouldn’t be allowing her to use it). She asked to transfer the lessons but he is not responding to messages and is being very vague about whether he will agree to this. Basically, he is taking her money, despite being the one to suggest stopping the lessons and saying she couldn’t use his car for the test. There is no contract

Has she got a leg to stand on here?

You said it was a debit card?

Get one of your DD's friends to arrange lessons with him. Confront him.

Unfortunately not. But I think she has a ‘case’ as not on database

That is an excellent idea! A friend could contact him and ask for lessons, pending details re his licence.

Send him a letter before action demanding a refund

Then sue him using the online system.

www.gov.uk/make-money-claim

Even if no written contract she can use texts and bank statements as evidence as to what was agreed and paid for.

oh dear sounds like a scam artist shame she didnt check him out first-hes cheap for a reason

Hope she gets her money back

Yikes, sounds like a scam, we didn’t pay for a job lot but just paid each week as we went along.

@Beagle26 - it does say not all driving instructors are on there as it's voluntary. But his other behaviours get my spidey senses tingling.

You can call or email the DVSA if you have his full name & the area you live in.

I find posting reviews everywhere & asking businesses twitter or facebook accounts gets things moving. I'd do that.

Most driving instructors are great but there's a minority who act appallingly like this. I had a bad experience with one years ago. He turned up an hour early and expected me to be ready to go and I wasn't. He knew He was early and Still charged for me the hour. He then wouldn't drop me at my house as he hated driving on the road to my house (he's a bleddy driving instructor and the road isn't that bad, just busy at times). He insisted on picking up and dropping me off a 20 minute walk from my home. I just didn't have the time to have lessons and add the walking time on too, j was always late for work because of it. He was a bit of a perv! Thankfully he didn't owe me any money. I just cut contact and got a new one. My second instructor I couldn't fault at all. He was amazing.

I would complain somehow. I don't know who to bug there must be something somewhere you can complain too!

This is awful OP, I'd be fuming if this was my DD so can imagine how you must be feeling.

I would pursue every available option to get the money back. What a complete arse he sounds!

Thank you for all the helpful comments. DD has sent a further message, and will escalate if he fails to refund her. The links and advice have been a real education. Thanks again 🙂

I'm sure the police would be interested in a Random Joe who is taking novice drivers onto the public roads and claiming to be a driving instructor, taking money off people for same, and then stealing from them.

Has your daughter had a response Beagle? I do hope so, I expect that’s a lot of money to her.

I’m sure many people don’t ask for the ADI number, we didn’t. My daughter was lucky she did get her money back and it was nearer £1,000.

He has now agreed to refund the money. Hope he actually does ... anyway, we have a number of actions we can now take ( thanks to Mumsnet). It really helped reading the threads and looking at those links. I am slightly concerned that he is not legitimate. He does not appear to have an online footprint, or appear on the DVSA database. Needs more checking out! Hope he does actually refund the money. In future she will ask for the ADI number. Pilates, I am glad your daughter got her 1000 back!

On a different matter, my daughter was sexually assaulted by driving instructor who still would not return the money for intensive course paid in advance.DVSA would not handle financial aspect, police won't either: civil matter. You have to trek through small claims court and be persistent. Good luck