Advice please, Driving instructor refuses to give my money back

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Hello,

I am desperate for advice.

I paid for 20 driving lessons; There is still 4.5 hrs left;
The arrangement was that 4 hours of it will be used in the week of the test, which I have booked for 04 Nov.

I have been trying to find a date with the instructor for 3 weeks now;
All this while, she was talking as if she couldn't fit me in, which I believed, all in good faith. Now, she turns back and quotes a point in the terms and conditions, which says there should not be more than 2 weeks gap between classes.

Obviously, I was trying to arrange a time with her for ages now. She didn't tell me this line all this while.

Makes me to wonder if she was waiting for time to pass so that she could just use this clause.

I was in tears today morning while talking to the driving school, who very conveniently washed their hands off it by saying it is something that I need to sort with the instructor.

Does anyone have any advice on what I can do possibly in this situation.

Thanks

I would complain to Trading Standards - have a look on your LA website for their number/advice line.

Which driving school is it? You need to name and shame.
That is disgraceful if you have been trying to sort out dates and times which were not convenient to the instructor.

Does it say that in the small print, that the 2 week gap can be down to the instructor not being able to fit you in? I bet not.

I'm not quite sure what her point is? If you have been asking for 3 weeks for lessons and she has not offered you an appointment then she is in breach of the contract, not you. You would be entitled to ask for the remainder of your money back, should you want to.

Thanks for your replies. I have spoken to citizens advice, who apparently deal with consumer complaints (replacing consumerDirect)

They have advised me to write a letter to the driving school
(which btw is Kan Kan, also called Drive dynamics)

The small print mentions 2 weeks when part of a promotional offer; it doesn't say anything related to dates or anything else.

The T&C says "..all responsibility for lessons and payments is between the student and the instructor.."

Shoudl this be interpreted as applying to future payments or for the payments made already, am unsure.

Because, Citizens advice told me to write to the driving school, quoting xx act, for not providing the services. I am going to do this. and see what happens.

More than anything, it just has upset me so much that people can behave so badly !! Especially, you know, you have had 15 hours of lessons and you talk to the instructor in a friendly manner and they do something like this.

You keep at it! You are entitled to either the hours, or the refund. And remember you have the power of the internet when giving reviews about said driving school. Gor for it.