Driving Lessons Refund?

HeatherH · 6 January 2011 at 9:44PM

Anyone know of a good letter before action template for this type of situation? Most of the ones I've found don't apply or I found them too wordy (or is that a good thing).

Morty_007 · 6 January 2011 at 9:48PM

OK, its all flooding back to me now...sorry, you already said you wanted that much refund. Baby brain, baby brain

lol Just wanted to make sure you didn't spend your free half hour with solicitor working it out!!

HeatherH · 6 January 2011 at 9:55PM

Lol, I empathise with baby brain, I still don't think I'm completely with it and my little man is now 6!

Do solicitors do free half hours for this type of thing? I know I was able to have one when I went for custody of my son, but when I enquired about litigation issues the same solicitor firm said no.... is it a case of ringing around maybe?

Morty_007 · 6 January 2011 at 11:17PM

Think CAB does free half hours for anything...I may be wrong...perhaps check the website if there is one?

HeatherH · 7 January 2011 at 10:18AM

Morty_007 wrote: »

Think CAB does free half hours for anything...I may be wrong...perhaps check the website if there is one?

Thanks, Will be ringing my local CAB as soon as it opens at 10am. They have a gateway system, so if I'm granted an appointment it will probably go into next week.
I find it amusing as my next exam monday is crime and deviance... maybe I could use this as a case study lol.

Freddie_Snowbits · 7 January 2011 at 10:19AM

Hey, if op does nit wantbthe lessons, why not let a friend have them?

HeatherH · 7 January 2011 at 10:28AM

I wouldn't let my worst enemy drive with him now after he's shown his true colours lol. Also going by his current correspondents, he doesn't believe he owes me anything.

tamarto · 7 January 2011 at 1:03PM

Morty_007 wrote: »

Pleased exam went well...As for the response, he is a slime ball! I think he is being exceedingly arrogant and rude aside from anything else. Still, he has not denied that he owes you the lessons which is a good thing so you have some evidence that this is in fact true (not doubting you, it's just if you take it to court he might just produce a booking record saying you had all you were entitled to. Because hi emails don't deny it, this won't be so easy!) I think CAB advice (free half hour I think?) and contact the DSA.

Did he send the terms and conditions and what did they say?
Good luck
Mx

I too wish the OP luck, this guy sounds like a real slime ball! Would like to poont out that the CAB is a free service, they don't ever charge.:)

HeatherH · 7 January 2011 at 1:25PM

tamarto wrote: »

I too wish the OP luck, this guy sounds like a real slime ball! Would like to poont out that the CAB is a free service, they don't ever charge.:)

Thanks Tamarto,

You are right the CAB is free, and amazing rather useful over the phone which I wasn't expecting (usually wait hours for an adviser, from experience). Anyways, I rang the CAB and without sounded biased he did sound rather supportive and linked me to the small claims info they have on their website. This was useful to a certain extent, but he also signposted me to both consumer direct and maybe trading standards if I didn't get anywhere. Consumer direct was also useful and have sent me a letter before action template. They did advise me to find as much evidence as possible on this; annoyingly I've deleted the original email that started it all my first email and his inital response (thought I was walking away at this point, doh!) I know I have put his inital response on here, so hoping it's still legal enough to use.

I'm still wishing I could get a solicitor to do this, but with the money involved, there's no point, so it looks like I will be the one with the emotional legwork. Paperwork I don't mind... dealing with mean people... I do mind! lol.

Still awaiting the "terms and conditions" he promises to send. Still don't know if he can inforce them though as they were never signed or made readily available at the beginning of any verbal contract made...

the saga goes on....

System · 7 January 2011 at 2:55PM

Good luck, you've been hard done by here and the driving instructor is an idiot. I have friends who are driving instructors and offer deals where you can block book lessons at a discount rate, however if they cancel then they get refunded, although the lessons they have had are charged at the normal hourly rate. So for instance if they charge £20 an hour and say pay £80 for 5 lessons and you only do 2 of them then they refund £40. The blokes basically got money for nothing as he's not doing the work! If he refuses to pay up demand your lessons off him. Just sit in the car with him for an hour reading a book. You've paid for the time and he owes you!