Letter Review please? Refund of Pre-Booked Driving Lessons?

photome

gemnomnom wrote: »

Hope this isn't thread-resurrecting too much, but just thought I'd post an update. I sent off my letter to the driving instructor's boss, and received no reply within the stated time-frame (7 days). Rang Consumer Direct again and they have advised to send a second letter as a letter before court action. This was a separate advisor I spoke to and they are continuing to 'back me up' as it were.

An update for all who thought I was wrong to pursue this, and that I was 'delusional' for thinking the hour I paid for should be an hour spent learning: CD have since reported this driving school to Trading Standards for investigation for unfair business practice.

I hope anyone else who feels scammed by any driving school in the future finds this thread and knows you can complain and get a refund. From the general responses it seems driving off 15 minutes there and 15 minutes back may be the normal practice, but that doesn't make it right or fair...

Have you got a refund? If you havent that might be a bit premature

hollydays

You may have reported them for something or anything, that doesn't mean they are guilty of it though.

Money-Saving-King

gemnomnom wrote: »

An update for all who thought I was wrong to pursue this, and that I was 'delusional' for thinking the hour I paid for should be an hour spent learning: CD have since reported this driving school to Trading Standards for investigation for unfair business practice.

It's all very fine writing this but if nothings happened yet in terms of result which it doesn't seem to have as you haven't mentioned getting your money back then it doesn't mean pursuing this has got anywhere.

CD often provide incorrect advise, they also can't do much. Anyone can report things to Trading Standards. What have Trading Standards done so far? Nothing I take it? Until something has actually happened in terms of action (reporting things isn't exactly action as it can come back with no result) then what you've written is a bit premature.

gemnomnom

Money-Saving-King wrote: »

It's all very fine writing this but if nothings happened yet in terms of result which it doesn't seem to have as you haven't mentioned getting your money back then it doesn't mean pursuing this has got anywhere.

CD often provide incorrect advise, they also can't do much. Anyone can report things to Trading Standards. What have Trading Standards done so far? Nothing I take it? Until something has actually happened in terms of action (reporting things isn't exactly action as it can come back with no result) then what you've written is a bit premature.

photome wrote: »

Have you got a refund? If you havent that might be a bit premature

Yes I do appreciate that and was going to add it onto my post. But I feel much more confident now that I will be receiving my refund compared to how awful I felt to begin with. It is a positive step forward for the consumer in this instance. So I would still like anyone else in my position to be assured that you can at least fight the case, and that does give hope, though yes, winning may be a different matter. Time will tell.

unholyangel wrote: »

Well actually.....it can. If goods or services are "not of satisfactory quality" it is because they do not meet the standard the average person would reasonably expect in the circumstances (including price paid - for £10 a lesson.......well even when I learned to drive over 10 years ago, £10 was cheap). In this case it seems driving 15 mins away is within the average persons expectations. Also meaning that it would fail the misleading testing since it has to mislead the average consumer.

She had to make sure you were competent enough to be on the road. When I learned to drive, my mum took me out one time and was throwing instructions at me all at the same time to mirror, signal, break, change gear, turn etc. What is 2nd nature for an experience driver takes a learner much much longer as they actually have to think about what they're doing. Until your reaction time is sufficiently lower, allowing you on the roads (even with them having a brake pedal on their side) can be dangerous. I imagine this is the defence she would use in a claim and imo it has a high chance of persuading a judge it was necessary.

However, I did notice you said for three of the five you drove 15 mins away......what about the other 2? If you left from the house with those 2 then the above (about making sure you were competent enough) seems very likely.

I never left from my house in the drivers' seat. On one of the other two I was driven to a quiet estate 2 minutes from my house - which I believe would have been suitable for the other lessons. On my last lesson I was driven away from my house but did take over the wheel within first ten minutes of the lesson.

If you had read my previous posts you would see that I was fairly competent to begin with, having learnt with my OH before taking official lessons. I'd having to disagree with reaction time and me being a danger due to their brake.

As for misleading - I would say advertising one hour of learning to drive in a driving lesson and then delivering 30 minutes is misleading. But looks like it will soon be up to the court to decide.