Cancellations

Cancellation & Test Booking Policy

1. Lesson Cancellations:
   Cancellations made with less than 24 hours' notice will be charged at the full lesson rate. This includes cancellations for any reason, including illness or work commitments.
   Failure to pay will result in the outstanding amount being referred to a debt collection agency, where additional charges may apply.
    
2. No-Shows:
   If a student does not attend a scheduled lesson without notifying the instructor, the full fee will be charged and enforced in the same way as above.
    
3. Driving Test Appointments (DVSA):
   Once a driving test has been booked, the student is responsible for the test fee and the instructor’s accompanying fee regardless of any changes made by DVSA.
    
   • If DVSA changes the test date with less than 3 working days’ notice, students are still liable for the cost.
      
   • In such cases, students may pursue reimbursement directly from DVSA, but the instructor cannot claim on your behalf.
      
   • Please note: All driving instructors are self-employed and cannot recover DVSA fees under any circumstances.
      

1. Vehicle Use for Driving Test:
   The instructor reserves the right to withdraw the use of the tuition vehicle for the driving test if the pupil is deemed not safe, not test-ready, or poses a risk to public safety.
    
   • This decision is at the instructor’s discretion and will always be based on road safety and DVSA standards.
      
   • If the car is withdrawn within 3 working days of the test, the test fee and instructor's fee will not be refundable.
      

1. Instructor Cancellations:
   If the instructor needs to cancel a lesson or test due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. illness, emergency, or vehicle issues), they will offer to make up the lost lesson time at a later date.
    
   • However, the instructor is not responsible for rebooking the DVSA driving test, nor for any fees or lost slots, as such events are outside of their control.
      
   • It is the student's responsibility to manage and rebook their DVSA test if necessary.

1. Signing the Terms & Conditions form shows agreement and understanding of the terms and conditions entailed in taking driving lessons with Rahels Automatic Driving School.

2. Payment for each lesson of instruction should be made prior to the Driving Lesson.

3. Instructors reserve the right to change the hourly lesson rate at any time for new bookings. They will ensure they provide reasonable prior notification to the Pupil.

4. Payment for sitting a practical driving test is paid directly to the DVSA, however this does not include the use of a tuition vehicle. Therefore, a payment must be made to your Automatic Driving School instructor directly for use of the vehicle and time spent travelling to and from the test centre.

5. The Pupil certifies that a valid suitable Driving Licence is held to drive the tuition vehicle. Pupils MUST inform their Instructor immediately if they receive any endorsements on their Driving Licence during the period they are receiving tuition. You must be able to pass the DVSA eyesight check before driving. Your instructor reserves the right to cancel the lesson if you fail this test.

6. In the event of mechanical breakdown or other difficulty outside the control of the Instructor, the Instructor reserves the right to rearrange lessons at short notice.

7. A minimum of 24 hours’ notice is required to be given to the Instructor by the Pupil to cancel a Driving Lesson. Should the Pupil fail to give the Instructor notice the Pupil is liable to pay the full Driving Lesson fee. Lesson that are longer than one hour needs to be cancelled with 48 hours notice or longer. 

8. The lesson duration is pre-agreed between the Instructor and Pupil – typically one hour, 90 minutes or two hours. If for any reason, outside the Instructor’s control, it is not possible to deliver the full lesson duration, any remaining time will be added to a later Driving Lesson. It is the responsibility of the Pupil to ensure that this is noted on the appointment card or remind instructor.

9. LEGAL LIABILITY. The Pupil should be aware that the Instructors primary objective is to promote road safety and in doing so, he/she may take control of the vehicle. The Instructor will make every effort to instruct the Pupil to the highest standard but can in no way be held liable for any errors that the Pupil may make whilst driving and not accompanied by the Instructor either before or after a Driving Test Pass.

10. The Instructor will endeavour to teach the Pupil the correct driving skills according to the recommended syllabus issued by the DVSA within the minimum number of driving lessons required depending on the students ability to learn at their own pace.

11. Driving Tests may only be arranged with the prior agreement of both the Instructor and the Pupil.

12. The Instructor is at liberty to refuse to proceed with a lesson if they have reason to believe that the Pupil is in any way under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the Driving Lesson. Pupils suspected to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol will be liable to pay for the cancelled lesson in full.

13. The Instructor will accept no liability for accidents, injury or damage to any Third Party caused by the Pupil’s recklessness or negligence during a lesson.

14.The Instructor reserves the right to withhold the use of his/her vehicle for a Driving Test.

15. Nothing in these Terms and Conditions will affect any statutory rights you may have as a consumer.

16. Automatic Driving School reserves the right to change and amend these Terms and Conditions at any time without prior notice. In the event that any changes are made, the revised Terms and Conditions shall be posted on social media page or our website, www.automatic-driving.uk.

1. If your instructor feels that you are not ready to take your practical driving test at the end of the course, due to safety reasons, then you will not be allowed to take your driving test. If this is the case we guarantee to reimburse test fees for tests booked by us. Tests booked by yourself will not be compensated.

2. Booking dates are not guaranteed until confirmed as booked: subject to DVSA/instructor/vehicle availability. If you or manage to source your test date and our instructor and vehicle are available on your intended test date, you will be reimbursed for your paid (if paid for), to the maximum of £62.

3. Once a course deposit or full payment is paid, you the pupil have agreed to RADS terms and conditions, you have a 14 day cooling off period from the day after the payment date, during which you are entitled to request a refund. However, you waive the right to the 14-day cooling-off period if you have booked a course to start within this period. 

4. Once the course hours are booked, if the pupil cancels driving lesson(s) less than 2 full clear working days from the lesson due date, those lessons will be forfeited and time lost. Students will need to pay to make up for missing lessons separately, subject to Instructor availability.

5. When taking an intensive driving course it is not advisable to drive continuously over a lengthy period of time, therefore, short breaks will be arranged between you and your instructor at both parties discretion, whenever either of you feels that rest is required.

6. Your intensive driving course includes break times, time to hire the car for the practical test, to drive you home / back to your agreed meeting point/pick up point at the end of the test. This will be agreed prior to the date of your practical test between you and your instructor.

7.  A practical driving test cannot be booked until the pupil has successfully passed the theory test and we have been informed of the theory certificate pass number via email.

8. Please ensure you have your test date confirmed and booked before booking time off work or arranging accommodation (if needed).

9. Whilst every effort is made to get the pupil to the required level to take the driving test, if it is thought by the instructor that the pupil’s standard of driving falls below the expected standard, then for the health and safety of the pupil, examiner and general public, the pupil will not be allowed to take the test. No refund of either the deposit / full payment or any lesson time will be made in these cases.

10.We do not offer shared courses e.g. 2 pupils in the car.