AA school of motoring BEWARE & HELP!!

MrsE_2

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_2

curlyfairy wrote: »

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_2

jeannieblue wrote: »

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/

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_2

anewman wrote: »

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

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_2

oldbuffer wrote: »

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

oldbuffer wrote: »

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?

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.