Filed a complaint to BSM had no response

fisheddie

hi and thank you for spending your time here reading this thread and i am appreciated for any of your advice/help!

this can be long (wrote 4 A4 size page) but i ve cut it down here:

i had start driving lessons with BSM last year and everything was fine and smooth until the driving instructor suddently left the country 2 weeks b4 my practical last Dec, BSM had arranged someone to take over but nothing happened. i called in to the local branch to get it sorted and got someone arranged only for the date of the test(2hr lessons just b4 the test) and that s the 'BEST THEY CAN DO' as they were so busy.

the day came, the guy were lost and he says he s not from here and didnt even know where the test center is! yeah, that s true. the car came with the rubber paddel on the cultch missing, it was a rainy day he just said that 'BE CAREFUL, IT CAN BE SLIPPERY'. i failed the test

went to center for complaint, many phone calls just wouldnt go though and had to head down into branch, then 3 attempts without success as the manager was not there! finally got sorted 4 hr lessons plus a free test(10 March). 2 hrs a week b4 the test and 2 hrs just b4 the test by the same guy.

the day came again, the guy turned up. after 2 hrs he just said that i am not on his list for the test and even if i were and he wouldnt take me to the test cos HE THINKS I AM NOT READY, and suggested me to BUY ANOTHER 20 HRS FROM HIM. called branch but again hard to get through as a rock. but finally someone answered the phone and promised to sort something. 1st she asked my details etc, then said i was not booked for a test till i gave them the DSA ref#, then said the instructor did not have to take me to the test if he/she thinks i am not ready. beside they can not do anything as again they are fully booked etc... suggestion is to cancel the test(with no refund or nothing) and buy some more lessons, or take a friend's car and get insured for the test.

ok. basic story ends here, wrote 4 pages to BSM headoffice via recorded mail, its now 10 days and i had no reply. what shall i do now? their non-existance customer service is even worse than TESCO/NTL internet! please, any help/advice much appreciated!


thanks

eddie

Savvy_Sue

Citizens Advice? Trading Standards?

zodiac

Try writing to their head office with all the details of what has happened and inclue a copy of the letter you sent in the first place. Send it by recorded delivey so you know that they will get it. In the mean time pop down to your local CA and see if you can have any legal backing, maybe you could take it through the small clames court(?). If you have any copys of an agreement or letters between you and BSM about the lessons the better. Get incontact with the goverment (local or otherwise) watchdog for driving schools and send them a similar letter.
On another note go with a different driving school. My first teacher left me a few weeks before my test and I failed the first. From my new teacher I found out that the first hadn't taugh me everything that I should know in the 5 months, 2 hours a week lessons that I has with him (and at £40 a lesson I wasn't happy). In fact I failed my third test yeserday so im going to try out a new driving school becasue I dont feel im getting on with BSM that well.
Good luck with the complaint and let us know what the outcome is

trace-j

So sorry to hear about the hassels you've been having. I'm quite lucky the only problems I had was due failing 3times before finally passing, I used AA 1in 1997 they were great.

I'm not sure what was going on in your situation- were BSM supposed to enter you for your driving test, or was it the replacement driving instructors who didn't have you down for your test? I always had to book my own test and them tell the instructor. I always dealt with the instructor direct, not though a call centre.

There is an appeals process for failing the test, but thats aimed at the fairness of the examiner so best to stay clear of this one.

Under the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982, you can expect BSM's services to be carried out with reasonable care and skill. This is implied into the contract and to breach would amount to breach of contract.

Before you applied for your 1st test did your instructor enourage you to apply or did you set a deadline. There could be an argument that if the instructor advised you to apply, he could fit in the last lessons in in time before the day.

I'd try for compensation for the last 2hr lesson you had before the 1st test- as you can't argue you would have passed if you had the 2hrs anyway- was already booked.

However, as the subsequent tests had come round BSM knew your regular instructor wasn't available. So should have told you they could not accommodate sufficient lessons before your next tests. For the subsquent tests you could try and claim for the failed test fees and the wasted hours before the tests. You'd be pushed to get a refund for lessons in between tests as it's a likely argument you've benefitted from the instructors teaching.

If you can get this, you'll have had some compensation for the botched tests so be put back in the position (well financially) you would have been had the tests not occured.

Insist on a cash refund not vouchers, need to engage in a bit of haggling so always reject the 1st offer as will be less than what you could claim for.


Obviously don't buy any more lessons.

Good luck, let us know what happens.