AA Driving School - avoid!

littlegirllost

hi
i was just wondering when you paid by cheque did you write it to the AA or to the instructor directly, surely this is proof that you have paid them

littlegirllost

sorry just seen re read the message from james21, i thought by writing a
chq rather than pay cash would have been more of a guarantee. I really think AA have to take some responsibility for this. Though the instructor is self
employed he must have a contract with the AA.

gregg1

Undercovercarrot wrote: »

My OH has just started learning to drive again after a few years' break. I had just bought car insurance with the AA (let me just state that I have NO probs with AA insurance) and when I got my policy documents, there was a flyer for 2 for 1 lessons with the AA Driving School. So my OH decided to give them a call and book some lessons.

The first few lessons went fine. The instructor was excellent. The instructor suggested that the OH paid for a "block" of 10 lessons by cheque, which he did as it gave a bit of a discount and he would need at least 10!

Anyway, after his third lesson (by the way, the free lesson would be lesson 5!) the instructor phoned up to say he was off sick, and would not be back for about a fortnight. The OH decided not to go for another instructor for the 2 weeks, but 3 weeks later, still nothing was heard. So we phoned the AA, who told us that the instructor was leaving, and we would need a new instructor. So he got details of another instructor in the area and booked a lesson. The instructor never turned up, never called and we had no idea why.

So, we phoned the AA again, who said "oh well, we don't know why he's not turned up. We'll try to call him." That was the last we heard from them. They made no effort to contact us to either explain what was going on or to try and rebook lessons.

This week, my OH contacted the AA yet again, as he was unhappy with the service and wanted to go elsewhere, and obviously get the unused money back for his lessons (the best part of £180). When he phoned up, the woman on the phone told him that as the old instructor was self employed, then he'd have to take it up with him. This is despite the fact that a) neither the OH or the AA can get hold of the old instructor, b) all AA driving instructors are self employed - you buy the franchise, and c) there was no indication that all business had to go via the instructor - we booked him through the AA, he drives an AA car and all his paperwork has AA Driving School!!!

The woman on the phone could not have been ruder and less helpful.Surely, as the franchiser, the AA retains a responsibility to the customer, and should refund the OH the outstanding money?

Sorry for the rant, but the AA Driving School have been shocking, and now we're £180 down with nothing to show for it.

Oh no - I have just forked out over £300 for a block of 20 lessons for my daughter to start later this month!

They told me at the time any unused lessons would be refunded and if my daughter did not gell with the instructor it would not be a problem changing to another one. At no point did they tell me my contract was directly with the instructor.

space_rider

I was going to phone them today to book some lessons for my daughter. Will make sure I pay direct to AA by credit card now.

Quimby

Gregg, if you've paid the AA direct, then you'll be fine if you need a refund - the AA hold that payment for us instructors, and we can only claim payment once a lesson has been taken (I'm an instructor who has an AA franchise)

So if your daughter for any reason doesn't use all the lessons, the instructor shouldn't have all the money.

The AA do apparently check all claims for payment from us instructors, and if there is an unusual pattern of claims, i.e. 10 hours taken all at once, then they will investigate the claim first.

All AA instructors should be using a pupil progress chart, which includes a record of all lessons taken, including the date, time, hours and the amount of payments left.

As her father, I'd recommend you check that this is done. I advise all pupils that the progress record actually belongs to them and they can examine it at any time they wish.

Also, when I took the franchise, on induction we were advised that parents sign the terms & conditions, which again, all AA instructors should be presenting on the first lesson - your daughter should also receive a booklet in advance, which also includes these terms. This is generally because if the pupil is under 18, legally they cannot agree to the terms.

The contract will be between you/your daughter and the instructor, with the AA acting as introductory agent. The terms of our franchise say that we must not do anything to damage the reputation of the AA - if for any reason you're not happy, as the customer you are completely at liberty to change your supplier.

Hope the above is useful, and that your daughter enjoys her lessons

Quimby

MrsE wrote: »

Should the AA not issue instructors with a receipt book for this purpose & insist its used.

My daughter is also having trouble trying to get her money back for unused lessons (due to unreliable instructor) & the AA say its nothing to do with them.

Ian Crowder has however asked me (on my complaint thread) to email him the details.

But when my daughter contacted the AA by phone they weren't interested & told her it was between her & the instructor:mad:

Mrs E - we do get issued with receipt books which I use for each payment. I can only assume your instructor was rogue and appears to have broken the terms of the franchise - perhaps that's why he's no longer with the AA?

MrsE_2

Quimby wrote: »

Mrs E - we do get issued with receipt books which I use for each payment. I can only assume your instructor was rogue and appears to have broken the terms of the franchise - perhaps that's why he's no longer with the AA?

He IS still with the AA, its my DD who has left (as a customer).

Quimby

MrsE wrote: »

He IS still with the AA, its my DD who has left (as a customer).

Unfortunately that does mean that you'd need to deal with the instructor directly. Perhaps a threat to sue in the Small Claims Court would be enough to make him cough up?

If you have records of the transaction i.e. if you paid by cheque, a bank statement and stub from the cheque book showing the amounts, plus a diary record showing all the dates & times of the lessons taken, might be proof enough for the court to rule in your favour? (NB I'm not a lawyer so can't offer this as professional advice!)

Good luck

wr1ght

have to say i used aa driving school 10+ years ago and have been recomending them for 10+ years, i found my instructer brilliant i had 17 lessons and passed 1st time maybe you guys have just been unlucky or maybe the instructers arnt as good as they used to be.

Daisy-Jane

I was an AA instrcutor for a short time and found them a nightmare to work for. Cheques are processed through the instructors account, but they book pupils on your diary without cleared funds, meaning you can give lessons and not get paid.

For pupils taking lessons, pay a lesson at a time cash is my recommendation, if you pay by credit or debit card the money doesn't always make it to the instructor, meaning you may be left with someone who doesn't turn up because they haven't been paid. If they are good instructor then you lose out, as they could be replaced with a franchiser who only passed their instructor exams that week.

I've never understood why anyone takes lessons with a large corporation, you find independant instructors are more highly qualified, and that is why they are successfully working for themselves.