Question on practical driving test booked by Driving School

ppyim

Hi all, just wonder does anyone have similar bad experience as us with a NorthEast driving school called Pass and Go?

My wife took 30+ hours driving lessons from Pass and Go. A practical test was booked through the driving school when my wife was booking her intensive driving course. At the end of the course the instructor said that my wife was not ready and refused to let her use his car for the test. This is fair enough and we asked Pass and Go to cancel the test in order to book in the futher (they hold the booking fee and it is non-refundable).

Since then my wife practiced driving with me using our own car. Now she wants to take the test so she called the driving school to book a date. Annoyingly later Pass and Go told her that because the driving school booked the test on her behalf, she has to use one of the instructor's car to take the test!! It means we can not use our own car and have to pay additional at least two hours driving lessons fee to go to the test. If the new instructor still refuse to let my wife use his/her car, we may end up with booking a 10 hours driving course.

Does anyone know in this case whether my wife can use our own car for the test? I just don't understand why it must be an instructor's car even if the booking was through the driving school.

Many thanks for your advice.

cajef

ppyim wrote: »

A practical test was booked through the driving school when my wife was booking her intensive driving course. This is fair enough and we asked Pass and Go to cancel the test in order to book in the futher (they hold the booking fee and it is non-refundable).

Does anyone know in this case whether my wife can use our own car for the test?

If a test was booked and cancelled she should have been sent the details with a reference number and dates etc. to herself, if you never received a refund from the DSA they will still have the booking fee not the driving school.

There is nothing to stop you booking a new test either online or by phone and taking her to the test centre yourself in your own car if you feel confident enough she stands a reasonable chance of passing, or find another instructor that is willing to take her in your car, just make sure you go to the official DSA site, details of what you need are here.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItOnline/Doitonlinemotoring/DG_197300

Billy-no-Money

To add to that, the rules for using your own car are here:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/LearnerAndNewDrivers/PracticalTest/DG_4022543

Note it says there must be a rear view mirror for the examiner to use - this needs to be a separate one, usually the 'sucker' type but make sure it doesn't fall off.

One thing not mentioned is that the speedo must be visible to the examiner - most are, but some are angled or deeply inset.

The thing that might trip you up, though, is the insurance. Please ring your insurer for advice - don't assume you're covered.

ppyim

cajef wrote: »

If a test was booked and cancelled she should have been sent the details with a reference number and dates etc. to herself, if you never received a refund from the DSA they will still have the booking fee not the driving school.

Thanks for the information.

Because the test was booked via the driving school, when it is cancelled the fee was returned to the driving school, and it is non-refundable for us according to the terms and conditions of the driving school.

Therefore the big annoying thing here is that we have to take driving lessons with the instructor's car in order to take the test. Or simplily we lose the test fee.

ppyim

Billy-no-Money wrote: »

To add to that, the rules for using your own car are here:

Note it says there must be a rear view mirror for the examiner to use - this needs to be a separate one, usually the 'sucker' type but make sure it doesn't fall off.
.

Thanks for the reminder. I have a rear view mirror bought from ebay. it is cheap but too small and barely see anything clearly. I will go to the shops to get a proper one.

Just sorted out the airbig light issue of my car this morning. It turned out to be a loosen wire connection under driver's seat.

Need to call the insurer later. Thanks again for your advice.