Disgusted at the corruption of the DVLA and all the scamming around driving tests

[ManyBooksLittleTime]

Both my children are trying to pass their driving tests. In the area in which we live, and several centres surrounding this, individuals buy up ALL the driving tests using bots to purchase them all. It is impossible to buy your own test. The Instructors, including 'reputable' companies, recommend who to buy the test from. The tests are sold for £160 -500. Then the student is encouraged to pay for an hour driving lesson before the test and use of the car during the test.
My son's last test cost £340 all in and my daughter's £360. She got into the police, but couldn't join as she couldn't pass her test in time! It's soul destroying. AIBU to think that the the government/police should step in? This should be an illegal practice. At the moment the examiners and instructors must be getting massive backhanders and it's very much in the interest if the examiners to just keep failing the students. I'm so angry and frustrated! It just seems like very open corruption.

100%
Let’s see if Labour does something about it now, seems like an easy win.

Because there is money to be made. Its corrupt.

That's not working for us. There are very few cancellations.

I passed my driving test in the 90s and it was absolutely standard practice to have a lesson before (to calm nerves, practice manoeuvres and make sure the learner felt confident) and pay the instructor for the hour of the test (they were longer then)

Obviously the instructor can't take on other work for that period as their car is being used by the person taking the test, so the time needs to be paid for

Thank you to everyone that has agreed there is an easy fix to this, but it's not a step currently being taken. It is too lucrative to all involved. To those of you annoyed that I wrote about the cost of the lesson before the test and the hiring of the Instructor's car, I was citing them as part of the astronomical cost of the driving test. My husband's car is leased so he can't take him out in that. I don't drive.

Sounds like we were lucky with the cancellations round here from others’ experiences.

I am not sure it is a scam. Before covid when my children all passed aged 17 we found the online tools where you could pay to get cancellations quickly were absolutely brilliant. There were levels of service based on how quickly you cannot to be alerted to cancellations based on what you paid. It seemed to work really well for us.

In general before Covid 19, my sons' instructor when they started lessons aged 17 (they did the theory test just about on their 17th birthday), told them when to apply for a test ) months in advance when he thought they would be ready. one passed first time and the other failed (the better driver one) and he got a retest due to these new online services much more quickly than the older siblings 10 years before.

When I failed first time aged 17 I was very upset as I wanted to pass before university (and I went aged just 17 a year young). I had to wait months for a new date and luckily got one in the summer holiday just before I left for university.

I do think Covid and the internet have made the system different but I would not say there were scams in operation and corruption.
One of my son's friends travelled hundreds of miles which was worth it to get a cancellation in a place with much less demand than where we are (we are in outer London where everyone drives and there are vast numbers of people)

As above this can't be the case, to book a test slot you have to put in your licence number and proof that you've passed your theory test. What is true is that it is more or less impossible to book a test straight off. What we did was book any test we could get which was miles away. Then once you have a test, you can get a cancellation. We paid £20 for the Driving test now app where you can put in your preferred centre or centres and preferred dates. Then it automatically rebooks you when a cancellation comes up. Testi apparently is not so good as it only alerts you to a cancellation and potentially by tge time you log in it's already gone.

It might not technically be a scam but more like ticket touts for concerts, so buying the tickets/spaces at face value and selling them on at vastly inflated prices. Apparently they have software allowing them to buy loads of slots when they’re released so normal people struggle to get them. And driving instructors can also buy slots early so some are involved and buy chunks of slots and then sell them on. There really should be a way of stopping the bots.

Xenia and Custardand...yes, block booking and selling tests for hundreds of pounds IS a thing. Read the two newspaper articles. You just haven't heard of it.

I just signed and paid my DC up to all the cancellation apps. Think it was £10 and they auto book cancelled tests for you.

My DC did their test in our car and at a different centre to where we live.

From start to finish took him less than 6 months to learn and pass his test. DC was 17 and a half when he passed his test in 2023.

You have to be flexible and resourceful and not rely on the so called professionals.

I feel like it’s an unpopular opinion because people who don’t engage with these kind of things can’t bring themselves to believe that it exists. Like it’s movie stuff. And even when politicians are caught red handed in hideous levels of corruption, it’s like people’s brains can’t really fathom it.

also, you’re right, organised criminals have politicians on their payroll. But politicians also have organised criminals on their payroll.

then add just a level of basic incompetence to government organisations and it all becomes a shit show!

I’m with you, OP!

DS passed his theory back in June! The earliest test date was the END of November!

Despite having the Testi app, we’ve only managed to secure a mid October date, which is an improvement but still, so frustrating! The cancellation apps are ok but you have to be extremely quick to secure that cancellation spot! Almost impossible!

I’d read about bots buying up lots of tests and I’m appalled that it’s going on!

They use other peoples driving licence numbers to hold the slot and then swap people in and out. So if individual A signs up with a company trying to get a slot he has to provide his licence number, they will then use that licence number to book driving test slots. The guardian did an article on it,

”“On our system,” boasts the director of one firm that offers fast-track test slots for between £190 and £250, “we have loads and loads of other licences, all looking for test dates. So what we’re able to do, using their licence, is hold and reserve test dates, basically swap people in.”
The smooth-talking Londoner says that one of the agencies he partners with to book tests has “8,000 licences able to hold and reserve test dates for other customers. And as soon as one comes available, they’ll hold it, reserve it, wait for the customer to confirm, then just swap them in.”

There was a story about it on the news recently. It’s not illegal apparently so the DVLA allow it. And people are booking tests before they’ve even booked their first driving lesson.

I live within Greater London and not had any issues. Had to wait a few months for the date booked but that was expected.

If you have issues just book further afield

Yup. The person who BUYS the test online TAKES the test. The name must match. Simples.

When I was sitting mine a long time ago, there was talk of the same. I booked my test a few months in advance and had no issues.

My DC booked theirs 4 months in advance in one of London’s most busy centre and just waited. It was no issue at all.

Why not book ahead and then aim to take lessons to be ready for a future date?

They need a system where people formally register all their personal details and ID to book a slot, with the slot in question being permitted ONLY for that registered person, with no ability to sell or transfer the test to another person.

It would be a bit annoying for those who legitimately need to change dates or cancel later on, but at least it would stop the bots.

They also need to massively increase the number of slots.

I thought tests were released at 6am on a Monday morning. In our area it is hard to get tests but if you log in promptly on a Monday there are usually lots available (but a few months out).

There is a separate issue in that London tests are very hard. On one, there was a beggar with mental illness wandering down the middle of the road, roadworks for the satnav part didn’t work and the usual mayhem of London or any big city.

Her cousin in a nice rural part of the country didn’t get caught in a red light even 😂

My daughter used this - think it was about £6. It doesn’t book for you, just searches for cancellations and new availability, then you click and get taken to the DVSA website when you spot one that suits you. You do have to be quite quick though sometimes!

You can opt for 3 or 4 (can’t remember) local test centres for it to search.

When booking on the DVSA you do have to put in DL number, and your theory test certificate reference, so not sure how the bots are getting around that, and you certainly can’t try and book more than one.

I’ve been up at 6am and logged in on a Monday, nothing earlier available!

There is so much corruption it is disgraceful. Systems aren't being put in place purposefully. Those who disagree with you are very naive and clearly aren't aware of how easy it is to prevent this.

All our public systems are broken and are being profited off.