Please read these terms and conditions carefully before booking a driving lesson. By booking a lesson or other service with me, you confirm that you have read, understood and agreed to these terms.
If you have any questions about these terms, please get in touch before booking.
1. General Terms
1.1 These terms and conditions apply to driving instruction and related services provided by Chilterns Driver Training (“the Instructor”, “I”, “me”, “my”) to pupils (“you”, “your”, “the pupil”).
1.2 By booking a lesson or other service, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
1.3 These terms may be updated from time to time. Any changes affecting existing pupils will be communicated by email or in writing.
1.4 These terms set out the arrangements for lessons, payments, cancellations, refunds, test preparation, use of the tuition vehicle, complaints and other aspects of the service.
2. Lessons, Bookings and Payment
2.1 Lessons must be booked in advance through the designated booking system or by telephone.
2.2 The initial lesson must be booked and paid for within 48 hours of receiving login details for the Total Drive app.
2.3 Payment for lessons and other services must be made 48 hours in advance of the corresponding lesson unless an alternative arrangement has been agreed with me in writing.
2.4 Prices may change with reasonable notice. The price applying to a booking will be confirmed at the time of booking.
2.5 Block bookings and lesson packages are non-refundable except where a refund is required by law or where I agree otherwise in exceptional circumstances.
2.6 Any unused lesson balance remaining following a successful practical driving test will be refunded.
2.7 I will keep appropriate records of lessons provided, payments received and your progress. You may ask to see relevant details of these records.
3. Cancellation and Rescheduling
3.1 A minimum of 48 hours’ notice is required to cancel or reschedule a lesson.
3.2 Lessons cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice will normally be charged in full.
3.3 Cancellation or rescheduling requests must be made during normal business hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 6:00pm, excluding bank holidays.
3.4 Cancellations received outside normal business hours will be treated as received on the next business day.
3.5 I may waive or reduce a cancellation charge at my discretion where there are exceptional circumstances.
3.6 I may cancel or reschedule a lesson because of adverse weather, vehicle breakdown, illness or other circumstances beyond my reasonable control. Where this happens, the lesson will be rearranged at no additional cost.
4. Punctuality, Attendance and Inactive Pupils
4.1 You are responsible for being ready at the agreed collection point at the scheduled lesson time.
4.2 I will wait for up to 15 minutes after the scheduled start time.
4.3 If you have not arrived within 15 minutes, I may leave and the full lesson fee will be forfeited.
4.4 If you arrive late, the lesson will normally finish at the scheduled time. The full lesson fee remains payable.
4.5 A lesson cannot proceed if you are unable to pass the statutory eyesight test, including being unable to read a number plate from the required distance. The lesson will be charged in full.
4.6 A lesson cannot proceed if you do not have the required original driving documentation, including your valid UK provisional driving licence or other relevant driving licence. The lesson will be charged in full.
Inactive Pupil Status
4.7 Unless otherwise agreed with me, if you do not book or schedule a driving lesson during any consecutive 30-day period, you may be classified as an “Inactive” pupil.
4.8 Once classified as Inactive, your ability to book further lessons may be suspended until you contact me and confirm that you wish to continue your tuition.
4.9 This policy exists to ensure that available lesson spaces can be fairly allocated to pupils who are actively undertaking tuition.
4.10 Where a pupil remains inactive, I reserve the right to make previously preferred lesson times available to other pupils.
4.11 Reactivation of an Inactive pupil is subject to my current availability.
4.12 I accept no liability for the loss of a preferred lesson time or slot resulting from a pupil becoming Inactive.
5. Pupil Requirements and Responsibilities
5.1 You must hold a valid provisional driving licence appropriate to the vehicle being driven.
5.2 You must inform me of any medical condition, disability or medication that may affect your ability to drive safely.
5.3 You must wear suitable clothing and footwear for driving.
5.4 If you are under 18, you must have parental or guardian consent for your driving lessons.
5.5 You must not attend a lesson under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any other substance that may impair your ability to drive safely.
5.6 You must follow all reasonable instructions given by the Instructor during lessons.
5.7 WhatsApp is the primary method of communication used for lessons, bookings and payment-related matters. You should therefore have access to WhatsApp for these purposes.
6. Safety and Instructor Responsibilities
6.1 Safety is the priority during all driving lessons.
6.2 I may end a lesson immediately if I reasonably believe that continuing would be unsafe or inappropriate.
6.3 I may refuse to provide or continue tuition where a pupil’s behaviour is aggressive, inappropriate or creates a safety risk.
6.4 This includes circumstances where I reasonably believe that a pupil is under the influence of alcohol, drugs or another substance that may impair their ability to drive safely.
6.5 I will provide tuition professionally and with due regard to your safety and the safety of other road users.
6.6 I will monitor your progress throughout your training and keep appropriate records of your lessons and development.
6.7 I will discuss your progress and future training requirements with you.
6.8 I will advise you when to consider applying for your practical driving test, taking account of your progress, the required test standard and relevant test availability and cancellation arrangements.
7. Mobile Phones, Recording and Wearable Technology
7.1 Mobile phones must be switched off or placed on silent during driving lessons, unless their use is specifically authorised for an appropriate training purpose.
7.2 Recording of driving lessons, whether audio, visual or both, is prohibited unless expressly agreed in advance.
7.3 This restriction applies to all electronic devices capable of recording.
7.4 Wearable devices with built-in cameras or microphones, including Meta smart glasses or similar devices, must not be used during lessons for recording purposes. This applies whether or not the glasses have prescription lenses.
7.5 If you record a lesson or use prohibited recording equipment without permission, I may terminate the lesson immediately.
7.6 In such circumstances, the full lesson fee will normally be forfeited.
8. Vehicle and Insurance
8.1 Vehicles used for tuition will be appropriately insured for driving instruction.
8.2 You are covered under the relevant driving school insurance arrangements during lessons, subject to the terms and conditions of the insurance policy.
8.3 You must report any accident, damage or other incident involving the tuition vehicle to me immediately.
8.4 Where an accident occurs and you are found to be at fault, you may be liable for the applicable insurance excess, subject to the circumstances and terms of the relevant insurance policy.
9. Practical Driving Tests
Booking Your Test
9.1 You are responsible for booking and managing your own practical driving test.
9.2 You should discuss your intended test date with me before booking it. I can advise you on whether the proposed timeframe appears realistic based on your progress.
9.3 If you have already booked a test, you should tell me as soon as possible so that we can assess whether the date is appropriate.
Test Readiness
9.4 My aim is to help you become a safe, confident driver and give you the best possible opportunity to pass your practical driving test.
9.5 I will monitor your progress and discuss your readiness for the practical driving test with you.
9.6 I will normally only provide my tuition vehicle for your practical driving test when I am satisfied that you have reached an appropriate standard and can use the vehicle safely.
9.7 My decision about whether my vehicle is suitable for use at your test will be based on your demonstrated driving ability and safety.
9.8 Payment for the use of my vehicle does not, by itself, guarantee that the vehicle will be provided for the test.
9.9 If you decide to take your test before I believe you are ready, you remain free to do so. However, you will need to make alternative arrangements for a suitable vehicle and accompanying driver.
9.10 If I decide that my vehicle should not be used for your test, I will tell you as soon as reasonably practicable so that you have an opportunity to consider alternative arrangements.
9.11 I cannot guarantee that you will pass your practical driving test. The result is determined solely by the DVSA examiner.
10. Emergency Practical Driving Test Vehicle Hire
Assessment and Fees
10.1 All emergency practical driving test vehicle-hire bookings require a compulsory one-hour driving assessment before the practical test.
10.2 The assessment costs £45.
10.3 Test-day vehicle hire and Instructor accompaniment costs £300 for a maximum of two hours.
10.4 Additional time is charged at £50 per whole hour. Any part of an additional hour is charged as a complete hour.
10.5 The £45 assessment fee and £300 test-day vehicle-hire fee, totalling £345, must be paid in full and in advance before the booking is confirmed.
10.6 The £300 test-day fee covers the use of the driving school vehicle and the Instructor’s time. It does not include the practical driving test fee payable separately to the DVSA.
Assessment Requirements
10.7 Use of the driving school vehicle for the practical test is conditional upon you demonstrating during the assessment that you:
- can control the vehicle safely;
- have reached a suitable standard to attempt the practical driving test; and
- do not present an unacceptable risk to yourself, the Instructor, the examiner, the vehicle or other road users.
10.8 I will make the final decision on whether the driving school vehicle can be used for the practical test.
10.9 This decision will be based on your driving during the assessment and will be made reasonably and with due regard to safety.
10.10 Payment does not guarantee that the vehicle will be made available for the practical test.
If You Are Not Ready for the Test
10.11 If, following the assessment, I determine that you are not ready to take the practical driving test or that the vehicle cannot safely be used for the test, the following will apply.
10.12 The £45 assessment fee will remain payable because the assessment has been completed.
10.13 Where the practical test is more than 48 hours after the assessment, the £300 test-day vehicle-hire fee will normally be refunded in full.
10.14 Where the practical test is within 48 hours of the assessment, I may retain up to £100 from the £300 test-day vehicle-hire fee to reflect the reasonable loss associated with the short-notice cancellation of the reserved vehicle and Instructor’s time. The remaining balance will be refunded.
10.15 The amount retained will take account of whether the reserved vehicle and Instructor’s time can reasonably be rebooked.
10.16 If the reserved test-day booking is successfully rebooked, or the actual loss is lower, the amount retained may be reduced accordingly.
10.17 The £100 amount is a maximum deduction and is not intended to be a penalty.
Cancellation by the Pupil
10.18 The compulsory £45 assessment is subject to the standard 48-hour cancellation policy set out in Section 3.
10.19 If you cancel the assessment with less than 48 hours’ notice, the £45 assessment fee will normally be charged in full.
10.20 If you cancel the emergency test-hire booking before the assessment takes place, any refund of the £300 test-day vehicle-hire fee will be considered separately, taking account of the notice given and any reasonable direct loss resulting from the cancellation.
10.21 Where the reserved test-day vehicle and Instructor’s time can reasonably be rebooked, this will be taken into account when calculating any amount retained.
10.22 I will not retain more than is reasonably required to cover the direct loss resulting from the cancellation.
10.23 Any refund due will normally be made using the original payment method and without undue delay.
10.24 This emergency test vehicle-hire package does not include access to the Total Drive booking app. Assessment and test time must be arranged directly with me.
10.25 Nothing in these terms limits or excludes your statutory consumer rights.
11. Test-Day Arrangements
11.1 The two-hour test-day booking includes time to become familiar with the vehicle immediately before the appointment, travel associated with the appointment and use of the vehicle for the practical driving test.
11.2 The Instructor will ensure that the vehicle and relevant documentation meet the applicable requirements for the practical driving test.
11.3 I will accompany you on your practical driving test and listen to the examiner’s debrief if you ask me to do so.
11.4 The service is subject to Instructor and vehicle availability.
11.5 The service is based in Princes Risborough and is available for learners requiring emergency test-day vehicle hire in Aylesbury and surrounding areas, subject to availability.
12. Data Protection and Privacy
12.1 Personal data will be processed in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
12.2 Pupil information will be kept confidential and used for legitimate purposes connected with providing driving instruction and administering the business.
12.3 I may retain appropriate records for insurance, legal, regulatory and business purposes.
12.4 Further information is available in my Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.
13. Complaints
13.1 If you have a complaint about your tuition or service, you should raise it with me in the first instance.
13.2 Complaints should preferably be made in writing so that the details can be properly considered.
13.3 I will deal with complaints promptly and fairly and will aim to resolve them directly with you.
13.4 I will keep an appropriate record of complaints and their outcomes.
13.5 If a complaint cannot be resolved directly, you may seek further guidance from Citizens Advice.
13.6 If you are unhappy with my professional service as an Approved Driving Instructor, you may contact the DVSA Registrar at instructorconduct@dvsa.gov.uk.
14. Circumstances Beyond My Control
14.1 I may cancel or reschedule a lesson where circumstances prevent the lesson from being provided safely or reasonably.
14.2 Such circumstances may include:
- extreme weather conditions;
- government restrictions or lockdowns;
- vehicle breakdown or accident;
- Instructor illness; or
- industrial action.
14.3 Where reasonably possible, cancelled lessons will be rearranged at a mutually convenient time without additional charge.
15. Liability
15.1 My liability in relation to a particular lesson or service is limited to the value of the lesson or service concerned, except where applicable law provides otherwise.
15.2 I am not liable for indirect, consequential or special losses, except where such liability cannot legally be excluded or limited.
15.3 Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or any other liability that cannot legally be excluded or limited.
16. Governing Law
16.1 These terms and conditions are governed by the law of England and Wales.
16.2 Any dispute will be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales, subject to any statutory rights you may have as a consumer.
17. Contact Details
For questions regarding these terms and conditions, please contact:
Chilterns Driver Training / Drive Chilterns
Email: barry@drivechilterns.com
Phone: 07815 120538
Address: Roundlands, Lacey Green, Princes Risborough, Bucks