AA school of motoring BEWARE & HELP!!

[MrsE]

I bought my daughter a load of hours worth of lessons with the AA when she wanted to learn to drive.

Her first instructor she found too snappy for a learner & raised his voice a lot when she made mistakes.

So she asked them to allocate her another.
I had paid via the web about £600 upfront & after that she paid the instructor in person block buying 12 hours each time, paying £276 every 5 weeks.

She started Oct 2007!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The second man was terrible, she did persist for months with him, but he was often late.

She booked 2 hour lessons, he was usually a bit late, then recently was 1/2 hour late & as she was going into work she could only take 1.5 hours.

The next booked one he didn't show for (7am), she eventually ran him at 7.20 & woke him up. He re-booked her in for a few days later & asked her to give him a wake up call to make sure he got up:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Another lesson he made her drive to the bakery & pull up & wait outside while he went in & got a sausage roll:rolleyes:

He strung her out for nearly a year with lessons, told her they couldn't practise her manoeuvres in the rain:rolleyes:

Anyway, to cut a long story short she got fed up of his lateness & no-shows & messing her about & found herself a local independent man.

She texted the instructor to say she wouldn't be using him & to let him know she would be contacting the AA for a refund of £57.50 for the 2.5 hours he still owes her.
He left an answer-phone message saying that the money was with him NOT the AA & he would work it out.
She tried to call him numerous times since & he won't answer.
She called the AA who said its nothing to do with them, its between her & the instructor:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: (BEWARE ANYONE WHO THINKS THEY ARE BUYING LESSONS FROM A REPUTABLE ESTABLISHED COMPANY!!!!!!!).

My husband called him (using his mobile, a number he didn't have) & he answered & said he would send a cheque for the money he owes her.

That was two weeks ago.

Just tried calling him again no answer.

Don't know where he lives, why should he take the mick out of youngsters with their hard earned cash & basically rip them off.

What can I do, where should I write to or complain to?

Thank you.

[curlyfairy]

Book another lesson with him under a different name and when he turns up refuse to get out of the car until you have the money.Then badmouth him to everyone.Its like most things nowadays they just think you will give up and ''forget about it''.Writing letters will get you nowhere tbh,go for the direct approach.

Ben.

[MrsE]

Book another lesson with him under a different name and when he turns up refuse to get out of the car until you have the money.Then badmouth him to everyone.Its like most things nowadays they just think you will give up and ''forget about it''.Writing letters will get you nowhere tbh,go for the direct approach.

Ben.

You would have to book & pay upfront through AA:mad:

[jeannieblue]

Go on the vent forum and say AA as many times as you can until the thread is on first page when you google AA - pees them off...

Although doesn;t have to be vent board. AA are a nuisance with their driving schools aren't they! Don't the AA have any control over the instructors? I would've thought that being AA recommended and having AA on their cars or AA on their cards, or AA in their advertising, that the AA would be responsible. I mean, it is the AA after and the AA should care about the AA reputation.

That and a few more could help.... ;)

I'd name and shame the instructor - tho not sure that would be a good move, legally etc............

You could call the BBC or contact them, as in rogue traders...........

[MrsE]

Go on the vent forum and say AA as many times as you can until the thread is on first page when you google AA - pees them off...

Although doesn;t have to be vent board. AA are a nuisance with their driving schools aren't they! Don't the AA have any control over the instructors? I would've thought that being AA recommended and having AA on their cars or AA on their cards, or AA in their advertising, that the AA would be responsible. I mean, it is the AA after and the AA should care about the AA reputation.

That and a few more could help.... ;)

I'd name and shame the instructor - tho not sure that would be a good move, legally etc............

You could call the BBC or contact them, as in rogue traders...........

Daughter said why does she keep saying the AA:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

AA AA AA AA AA AA AA AA

[Pew Pew Pew Lasers!]

File a claim in the small claims court. Painless and easy.

[anewman]

Make a post or two on here http://zone.theaa.com/forum/forums/ :D

[oldbuffer]

What you need to remember when booking lessons is that both the AA and BSM have trainee instructors, when they pass their exams they usually move on. Therefor these large chains seldom have an instructor with any expieriance.

Try an instructor who works for himself, he cant afford to get it wrong or he will go out of business.

[MrsE]

Make a post or two on here http://zone.theaa.com/forum/forums/ :D

Emailed them this morning, even though they "say" its nothing to do with them:rolleyes: , telling them I shall contact Trading Standards on Monday:D

[MrsE]

What you need to remember when booking lessons is that both the AA and BSM have trainee instructors, when they pass their exams they usually move on. Therefor these large chains seldom have an instructor with any expieriance.

Try an instructor who works for himself, he cant afford to get it wrong or he will go out of business.

She has found a lovely local man. He gives her the full time shes paid for & doesn't shout at her.

[Crabman]

What you need to remember when booking lessons is that both the AA and BSM have trainee instructors, when they pass their exams they usually move on. Therefor these large chains seldom have an instructor with any expieriance.

Try an instructor who works for himself, he cant afford to get it wrong or he will go out of business.
BSM have trainees but the AA "pride themselves" on having fully qualified instructors:

http://www.theaa.com/driving-school/learn-to-drive/driving-instructor.html

Do they still insist on 2 hour lessons? :o

P.S: If we're mentioning AA for google, may want to throw Centrica into the mix. That's right, Centrica. Centrica is the parent company of the AA. :D

[MrsE]

BSM have trainees but the AA "pride themselves" on having fully qualified instructors:

http://www.theaa.com/driving-school/learn-to-drive/driving-instructor.html

Do they still insist on 2 hour lessons? :o

P.S: If we're mentioning AA for google, may want to throw Centrica into the mix. That's right, Centrica. Centrica is the parent company of the AA. :D

Yeah I thought that about the AA.

I believed the spin, thats why I booked her with them.

Yes, still push the two hour lesson (or 1.5 if your instructor is a bad time keeper:rolleyes: ).

[Happychappy]

Always go on recommendations, just remember when you were at school ? who ever left saying they wanted to be a driving instructor !!

It is only when people are made redundant, lost their jobs or retire and need to work or earn extra money and have no other skills that they remember they have a driving licence and so turn to being an instructor.

The ADI scheme is easy to get through as long as you can remember the written down lesson plans, that's why you could end up with anyone of varying abilities. Therefore you need to go on recommendations and ask for an instructor who has been check tested by the area senior examiner at level 6.

Less then that is second best, angry man and sausage roll man were more than likely a 4 or a trainee. There are some good instructors out there, but like all businesses, there are good and bad and these don't need much training to set up in business

[jeannieblue]

BSM have trainees but the AA "pride themselves" on having fully qualified instructors:

http://www.theaa.com/driving-school/learn-to-drive/driving-instructor.html

Do they still insist on 2 hour lessons? :o



P.S: If we're mentioning AA for google, may want to throw Centrica into the mix. That's right, Centrica. Centrica is the parent company of the AA. :D
I may keep out of this a bit - got told off not long ago about something or other...... :o Don't want anymore legal letters!!

[helenathena]

i had a hideous AA experience too. you couldnt stereotype a male driving instructor more! He wasnt a trainee.

I paid upfront but they can keep the money, its made me realise how much better off i am on the bus!

[MrsE]

Always go on recommendations, just remember when you were at school ? who ever left saying they wanted to be a driving instructor !!

It is only when people are made redundant, lost their jobs or retire and need to work or earn extra money and have no other skills that they remember they have a driving licence and so turn to being an instructor.

The ADI scheme is easy to get through as long as you can remember the written down lesson plans, that's why you could end up with anyone of varying abilities. Therefore you need to go on recommendations and ask for an instructor who has been check tested by the area senior examiner at level 6.

Less then that is second best, angry man and sausage roll man were more than likely a 4 or a trainee. There are some good instructors out there, but like all businesses, there are good and bad and these don't need much training to set up in business

She has someone she's very happy with now.

But I still want to get the money back for unused lesson, she was shortchanged enough on the lessons she actually had, without them keeping that too, of course had he actually turned up on time she would have used them up:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: Incase anyone says its non-refundable, IF he had showed up correctly she would have been abloe to use her time up:mad:

Another thing with the late/no-show one, he wanted her to be AT LEAST two hours in credit the whole time. Whats with that:confused: Probably because he fails to turn up:rolleyes:

[Crabman]

i had a hideous AA experience too. you couldnt stereotype a male driving instructor more! He wasnt a trainee.

I paid upfront but they can keep the money, its made me realise how much better off i am on the bus!
Why let them keep the money? :o At least get a refund for any unused lessons (which you're entitled to) and donate it to a worthy cause if you really don't need the cash.

[stoneman]

My daughter also had a bad experience with the AA. I paid about £540 up front for lessons, when she started the instructor told her that the average amount of lessons needed to pass was 40!!! He left the AA after about a month, she was allocated another instructor who spent the first lesson asking her to drive around so that he could asses her driving, so this was her paying £22 for him to asses her. He left after a couple of months and was allocated another instructor, same thing, another £22 lesson to asses her driving. This happened a further 2 times until she just gave up after the money ran out. So in a few months she had 4 different instructors. I took this up with the AA but they said they had no influence on weather the instructors stayed or went and it was reasonable for an instructor of the AA to spend a lesson to asses her driving. So I spent over £80 in assessment lessons. They are rubbish and thought I was doing the right thing by getting her the best driving school I could find.

[MrsE]

My daughter also had a bad experience with the AA. I paid about £540 up front for lessons, when she started the instructor told her that the average amount of lessons needed to pass was 40!!! He left the AA after about a month, she was allocated another instructor who spent the first lesson asking her to drive around so that he could asses her driving, so this was her paying £22 for him to asses her. He left after a couple of months and was allocated another instructor, same thing, another £22 lesson to asses her driving. This happened a further 2 times until she just gave up after the money ran out. So in a few months she had 4 different instructors. I took this up with the AA but they said they had no influence on weather the instructors stayed or went and it was reasonable for an instructor of the AA to spend a lesson to asses her driving. So I spent over £80 in assessment lessons. They are rubbish and thought I was doing the right thing by getting her the best driving school I could find.

My daughter has had well over 100 hours of lessons, remember you can't do manovers in the rain, so all thorough the winter manovers weren't worked on.

Second guy said first driver had started teaching her all wrong & he needed to start from scratch (that was about 30 hours wasted:mad: ).
They say one hour lessons are no good:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
Well I passed that way:rolleyes:

When she bulk buys she gets them for £23 instead of £25!! PER HOUR, so each 2 hour lesson is £46!!!

[jeannieblue]

My daughter has had well over 100 hours of lessons, remember you can't do manovers in the rain, so all thorough the winter manovers weren't worked on.

Second guy said first driver had started teaching her all wrong & he needed to start from scratch (that was about 30 hours wasted:mad: ).
They say one hour lessons are no good:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
Well I passed that way:rolleyes:

When she bulk buys she gets them for £23 instead of £25!! PER HOUR, so each 2 hour lesson is £46!!!
Why can't you do maneuvres (nope can't spell it... gotta look it up) why can't you do them in the rain?? I'm sorry but I used to have to do my lessons in all weathers - otherwise, how do you learn to deal with different conditions? Its bad enough that they don't take you on motorways etc.

Rain?? Its just wet. Enlighten me please.

[anewman]

Enlighten me please.

= excuse to get over £20 per hour for no effort whatsoever. :money:

[jeannieblue]

= excuse to get over £20 per hour for no effort whatsoever. :money:
Are you saying, that if it is raining you can't do things like a turn in the road, reversing or parking?

If that is so, and I had been taught this way, then I would be well stuffed considering the weather we are expecting in the South East over next few days. I probably wouldn't have been taught how to open the door due to snow...... (a southerly sprinkling) ..... and Goldenspangles up in the cold cold northern common provence of Glasgow, wouldn't have been taught how to get out of bed! Ah............. but he wouldn't know how to do that on a sunny summers day come to think of it... :D

[goldspanners]

Are you saying, that if it is raining you can't do things like a turn in the road, reversing or parking?

If that is so, and I had been taught this way, then I would be well stuffed considering the weather we are expecting in the South East over next few days. I probably wouldn't have been taught how to open the door due to snow...... (a southerly sprinkling) ..... and Goldenspangles up in the cold cold northern common provence of Glasgow, wouldn't have been taught how to get out of bed! Ah............. but he wouldn't know how to do that on a sunny summers day come to think of it... :D

yes thats right jeanie, the snow gates have been closed all winter just incase of some bad weather.

[RichyRich]

BSM have trainees but the AA "pride themselves" on having fully qualified instructors:

http://www.theaa.com/driving-school/learn-to-drive/driving-instructor.html

Do they still insist on 2 hour lessons? :o

P.S: If we're mentioning AA for google, may want to throw Centrica into the mix. That's right, Centrica. Centrica is the parent company of the AA. :D

Centrica, for all their faults, are no longer the parent company of the AA. Centrica, whose legal personality is Centrica plc, sold the Automobile Association (also known as the AA) to two private equity firms in 2004. The AA is now owned jointly by CVC and Permira, under a joint venture known as CVC Capital Partners.

According to Wikipedia, this makes the dodgy shenanigans observed by our friends at the AA indelibly linked with other household names such as Debenhams, Samsonite, Formula 1 Racing (CVC), Bird's Eye, Gala, Coral, and Yellow Pages (Permira).

In my experience, efforts by Debenhams to shirk their responsibilities under the Sale of Goods Act have been equally appalling as those of the AA.


Google: stick that in your pipe and smoke it!
AA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite 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Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting DirectoriesAA CVC Permira Debenhams Samsonite Formula 1 Racing Bird's Eye Gala Coral Yellow Pages Automobile Association Driving Lessons Breakdown Cover Department Stores Luggage Motor Racing Frozen Foods Casinos Bingo Horse Racing Betting Directories

[jeannieblue]

yes thats right jeanie, the snow gates have been closed all winter just incase of some bad weather.
We are expecting snow - imminently now - had a sprinkling earlier. Just hope my focus gets me up and down the hills (yes, I know what county I live in) but there are hills that I have to negotiate to get to work in this weather and everyone gets all neurotic..... panics.......... and it all comes to a standstill. Rather sad...

Chains would help - but they are illegal....

Goldie - you are experienced - I'd like advice, but no doubt you will sit with your feet up, watching the news, and enjoying the chaos that us Southerners are in... :o

[LandyAndy]

My daughter also had a bad experience with the AA. I paid about £540 up front for lessons, when she started the instructor told her that the average amount of lessons needed to pass was 40!!! He left the AA after about a month, she was allocated another instructor who spent the first lesson asking her to drive around so that he could asses her driving, so this was her paying £22 for him to asses her. He left after a couple of months and was allocated another instructor, same thing, another £22 lesson to asses her driving. This happened a further 2 times until she just gave up after the money ran out. So in a few months she had 4 different instructors. I took this up with the AA but they said they had no influence on weather the instructors stayed or went and it was reasonable for an instructor of the AA to spend a lesson to asses her driving. So I spent over £80 in assessment lessons. They are rubbish and thought I was doing the right thing by getting her the best driving school I could find.

Sorry, couldn't resist it.:D

[goldspanners]

Chains would help - but they are illegal....

Goldie - you are experienced - I'd like advice, but no doubt you will sit with your feet up, watching the news, and enjoying the chaos that us Southerners are in... :o

even scotland comes to a standstill with the slightest bit of snow or ice. the funny thing is that the councils usually act to late to grit the roads and then the gritters get stuck in the traffic caused by someone skidding off the motorway.
we will never get used to this weather.

[MrsE]

We are expecting snow - imminently now - had a sprinkling earlier. Just hope my focus gets me up and down the hills (yes, I know what county I live in) but there are hills that I have to negotiate to get to work in this weather and everyone gets all neurotic..... panics.......... and it all comes to a standstill. Rather sad...

Chains would help - but they are illegal....

Goldie - you are experienced - I'd like advice, but no doubt you will sit with your feet up, watching the news, and enjoying the chaos that us Southerners are in... :o

I didn't know chains were illegal, I've seen them in use in France in the snow.

Its like a xmas card here tonight, I'm dreading the drive to work tomorrow:eek:

[goldspanners]

I didn't know chains were illegal, I've seen them in use in France in the snow.

Its like a xmas card here tonight, I'm dreading the drive to work tomorrow:eek:

nothing much here at the moment, i dont think we are expecting much snow here,just cold and damp as usual.

[vikingaero]

The best way to find an instructor is definitely word of mouth. Ask all the 17+ year old kids for advice. We have an instructor around our way who runs her own business - Jackies School of Motoring. She's rated by all the yoof in the area mainly because of her attitude. Sometimes she picks them up for their lesson, realises they've been on the town all night, tells them they're not up to it, drives them home, rebooks the lesson and doesn't charge them for it. She must engender so much goodwill.

[GaryS]

Looks like the OP has had a particulary bad experience with the AA Driving School.
My daughter's AA driving instructor is very good, DD is doing very well.
BUT, we made sure that she had a couple of lessons before we committed to a block booking.
This way she could see if she was happy with the instructor.

[Ian Crowder]

Dear Mrs E,

We apologise for the inconvenience this appears to have caused. If Mrs E would like to e-mail drivings@theaa.com (drivings@theaa.com) with the full name and address of the pupil, and if possible their AA pupil number, and the names and phone numbers of the two instructors involved, we will investigate your concerns fully. Please put the subject heading as “Moneysavingexpert complaint”. I would like to point out that AA Driving School has around 2,000 fully qualified driving instructors throughout the UK (we only use fully qualified instructors) who are professionally trained and they are expected to stand by the very high standards and reputation of the AA. Complaints of this sort are rare and we treat them very seriously. We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you,
Ian Crowder,
AA Driving School

[h007]

shame she had a bad experience.
i had a really crap 1st instructor through a ladies only company - she just dissapeared!

so went onto AA and got a great guy and passed 1st time

is all down to luck and the individual you get

[MrsE]

Dear Mrs E,

We apologise for the inconvenience this appears to have caused. If Mrs E would like to e-mail drivings@theaa.com (drivings@theaa.com) with the full name and address of the pupil, and if possible their AA pupil number, and the names and phone numbers of the two instructors involved, we will investigate your concerns fully. Please put the subject heading as “Moneysavingexpert complaint”. I would like to point out that AA Driving School has around 2,000 fully qualified driving instructors throughout the UK (we only use fully qualified instructors) who are professionally trained and they are expected to stand by the very high standards and reputation of the AA. Complaints of this sort are rare and we treat them very seriously. We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you,
Ian Crowder,
AA Driving School

Thank you I will do.
I did however fill out your official complaints/contact form on-line & have yet to receive a response.

My daughter had a text from her instructor yesterday (my husband had tried to contact him again & he would have seen my husbands number come up on his phone), saying (again) the cheques in the post.

Can you explain (on here) why the AA said it was nothing to do with them & between her & the instructor?

[MrsE]

Well I have emailed them............

I supplied all the details Ian Crowder asked for & added this.

The second one however was the real problem, continually late (always in fact) NEVER got the full two hours paid for. Insisted she was ALWAYS in credit with her lessons, that's why she couldn't use the last two & a half hours.
Actually asked her to give him an alarm call to make sure he got out of bed in future because he left her waiting at 7am on the street while he was tucked up in bed, only by her 7.30am call which woke him did I find out he wasn't coming.
Kept putting off manouvers because of rain/winter/dark/etc!!!

Still no refund from him!!! Are the AA prepared to refund my daughter for lessons paid to an AA employed instructor?
My next step is the trading standards, only for this response from Ian Crowder I would have already contaced them.

I got the AA link off the XXXXX XXXXXXX staff benefits page (I work for them), if this is not cleared without delay I will contact HR about disreputable companies using the staff pages for promotion, I can't see how it benefits the staff to have companies that act in a tardy manner.

[jeannieblue]

Was that lardy or tardy?

[MrsE]

Was that lardy or tardy?

Both:rotfl:

[hissingsid]

As a qualified driving instructor I’d like to say that the behaviours and attitudes described in this thread are completely unprofessional.

Before parting with money for a block booking, have a lesson with the instructor to make sure you get on with them. If they don’t suit you, try someone else.

This website gives a lot of good advice on finding a good instructor, http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-choose-a-driving-instructor

As for manoeuvres in the rain? No problem. Doing them in the dark is a little more difficult, but not impossible. Snow is a different matter altogether.

Assessment drives are essential. I want to know what a learner is capable of before requiring them to deal with certain hazards, however I can tell within 10 minutes roughly what they need to work on. An assessment lesson should also include some manoeuvres, or you haven’t assessed their manoeuvres. Even on an assessment lesson learning and coaching should still take place; it will however not have a specific learning aim identified at the start.


Hope this helps.

[Mark Hewitt]

Did you pay your money directly to the driving instructor? If you paid directly to the AA then it very definitely is to do with them. Your contract is with the AA, not the instructor. The AA's internal arrangements are none of your concern.

[MrsE]

Well I have emailed them............

I supplied all the details Ian Crowder asked for & added this.

The second one however was the real problem, continually late (always in fact) NEVER got the full two hours paid for. Insisted she was ALWAYS in credit with her lessons, that's why she couldn't use the last two & a half hours.
Actually asked her to give him an alarm call to make sure he got out of bed in future because he left her waiting at 7am on the street while he was tucked up in bed, only by her 7.30am call which woke him did I find out he wasn't coming.
Kept putting off manouvers because of rain/winter/dark/etc!!!

Still no refund from him!!! Are the AA prepared to refund my daughter for lessons paid to an AA employed instructor?
My next step is the trading standards, only for this response from Ian Crowder I would have already contaced them.

I got the AA link off the XXXXX XXXXXXX staff benefits page (I work for them), if this is not cleared without delay I will contact HR about disreputable companies using the staff pages for promotion, I can't see how it benefits the staff to have companies that act in a tardy manner.

The AA have refunded my daughters money in full.

Had I not have involved the power of the internet consumer/reviews would I have still been refunded, who knows, but she has had her money back.

I say she has had her money back........... she had had lessons paid for in advance back, but of course she lost a lot of money with both driving instructors being late 5, 10 or 15 minutes every lesson, for a year:eek: :mad: :eek: :mad: :eek: :mad:

If you added that up it would be another few hours, the AA were presented with the facts of this in full, but choose NOT to address it:rolleyes:

So I still feel a bit ripped off by them, but less ripped off.

[Inactive]

Mrs E, have you reported this mess to the Driving Standards Agency?, they oversee all ADI's, they may well help you further in getting full justice from the AA.

They have the power to remove an instructor from their register.

http://www.dsa.gov.uk/

[MrsE]

Mrs E, have you reported this mess to the Driving Standards Agency?, they oversee all ADI's, they may well help you further in getting full justice from the AA.

They have the power to remove an instructor from their register.

http://www.dsa.gov.uk/

Actually I keep meaning to pin DD down to do that.

He's a con merchant who thinks he can rip off youngsters with time, money & stringing out lessons (no manouvers all winter:rolleyes: ).

Will do.