Terms and Conditions

Terms and conditions of service

Introduction
The following terms and conditions represent the basis upon which driving lessons and courses are offered to you, the learner/student (i.e."You" or "Your") by the local independent franchised LDC driving school instructor ("LDC instructor"). Please note the contract for service is between You and the local LDC instructor regardless of whether a third party paid for the service. Each LDC instructor operates their own driving school business under franchise from the Learner Driving Centre ("LDC"), a trading/brand name of LDC Driving Schools Limited, and have agreed to be bound by the following terms and conditions. The LDC national booking office is a separate entity which has been authorised to act as a booking agent and a quality controller for the members of the LDC driving school franchise network.

Any breach by the LDC instructor of the following terms and conditions will potentially put them in default of their contract for service with You and their franchise agreement with the LDC. Only those driving instructors willing to maintain the highest standards of customer care and tuition are permitted to operate under the LDC driving school name.

1. General Conduct
Your LDC instructor will be courteous, polite, tidy and punctual. They will behave in a professional and ethical manner at all times. Your LDC instructor's car will be well maintained, clean, tidy, fitted with dual-controls and insured for driving tuition purposes. LDC instructors have agreed not to smoke in the vehicle and will not use Your lesson time for any other form of business, personal or otherwise without your expressed permission.

2. Qualifications
All LDC instructors are licensed by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to give driving tuition either as a qualified approved driving instructor (ADI) or a trainee driving instructor (PDI). All LDC instructors will have been specially trained in the "student-centred" LD System of driving tuition and LDC's customer care standards.

3. Course Materials
When a driving course is booked through the LDC national booking office, any materials included as per the course description will be provided to You directly from the office via Royal Mail or supplied to you by your LDC driving instructor. All driving courses include a Driving Skills Workbook. Some courses include the Driving skills video series which are available in DVD format or online via LDC's online student learning portal. At point of booking you will be asked your preferred method of access, please note the course price is the same no matter which option you choose.

4. Driving Licence and Eyesight
You must hold a current, valid driving licence (provisional or full), which must be produced on or in advance of Your first driving lesson. You must prove Your entitlement to drive by providing a licence check code to Your LDC instructor prior to Your first driving lesson. The LDC national booking office or Your LDC instructor can provide instructions on how to do this. You must also check that You can read a number plate at a distance of 20.5 metres (i.e. 67 feet - about 5 car lengths) with prescribed visual aids (i.e. contact lenses or glasses) if normally worn. Any such prescribed visual aids must also be worn on every driving lesson if needed to meet this minimum eyesight condition.

5. Learner safety, comfort and well being
Safety is a shared responsibility between the LDC instructor and You as identified below:

1. In the interests of comfort and safety You are advised to wear suitable footwear and clothing.
2. It is important that You act responsibly at all times and give Your undivided attention to the driving task at hand. Should anything be distracting You during the lesson it is important that You make the LDC instructor aware of this fact even if it is something the LDC instructor is doing. Similarly if You are feeling uncomfortable or uneasy about anything it is important that You make the LDC instructor aware of this as soon as it is safe to do so. The LDC instructor will be grateful for the feedback and they will think no less of You for doing so.
3. In an emergency situation it is important that You follow the instructions of the LDC instructor and allow them to take control of the steering wheel if necessary to avoid an incident. The LDC instructor may also need to make use of the dual controls (i.e. brake and or clutch pedals) and thus override Your use of them. As soon as it is safe to do so the LDC instructor will advise You of why their actions were necessary and help You to calm down if required. Any subsequent discussion will focus on what can be learned from the situation rather than who was to blame.
4. The LDC instructor will do their best to deliver any instructions or take any actions (even in an emergency) in a calm and measured manner so as not to alarm You or make You feel uncomfortable or disheartened in any way. The LDC instructor will definitely not shout at You or make any sarcastic or derogatory remarks.
5. The LDC instructor will not use improper language or suggestive behaviour and/or physical contact.
6. You must take note of any medication You are taking which may affect Your ability to drive safely and advise the LDC instructor accordingly before taking any lesson booked. Similarly, You should inform the LDC instructor of anything You feel might impact on Your ability to undertake the proposed lesson safely.
7. In the event it becomes apparent that You are unable to concentrate due to illness, tiredness, or Your emotional state of mind the LDC instructor reserves the right to terminate the lesson early or require agreement from You to choose an alternative, less demanding, learning activity which can still be undertaken safely.

6. Driving under the Influence
To ensure the safety of You, Your instructor and other road users Your LDC instructor reserves the right to cancel any lesson if You are or if they suspect You are under the influence of drugs and or alcohol. If this occurs the full training fee for the period in question will be lost or charged.

7. Lesson Postponement
Provided the LDC instructor can easily obtain additional work for any individual lessons postponed no penalty will be incurred. If this is not possible the full training fee for the period in question will be lost or charged. Your LDC instructor reserves the right to postpone lessons if they feel that the weather or road conditions are unsuitable or dangerous. Any lessons postponed by Your LDC instructor will be rescheduled at a mutually agreed time. The LDC instructor cannot be held responsible for any costs incurred as a result of them having to postpone any lessons, for whatever reason.

8. Punctuality
In Your own interest You are advised to be punctual for Your lesson appointments. All appointments can be recorded in Your Driving Skills Workbook, on an LDC appointment card or on the LDC learner app to ensure mistakes are avoided. The LDC instructor would normally wait for a maximum of 15 minutes before the lesson would be abandoned and the lesson fee forfeit or become due for payment. A reciprocal waiting time may become necessary if the LDC instructor is delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. Any lesson time lost as a result of the LDC instructor being late would be made up by the LDC instructor either at the end of the normal lesson time if possible or at a later date.

9. Payments and Refunds
Booking requests can be placed through LDC's main website, an LDC instructor's website or through the call centre. Once the LDC national booking office receives a booking request payment from You the team will start to look for an LDC instructor who can match your requirements. At this point your order is a booking request and is not confirmed until an LDC instructor has been allocated and is able to accommodate You. If the LDC national booking office cannot find an LDC instructor who matches your requirements, the LDC national booking office will refund you 100% of the price paid.

Once a booking request has been allocated and accepted by an LDC driving instructor you will receive a confirmation of booking via email. At this point a binding agreement is made between You and the local LDC instructor. This does not in any way affect your statutory rights to be provided with the goods and services You have bought (or bought on Your behalf) from the LDC instructor (please see term 14). If materials are included with your booking these will be despatched at this point. If after your booking has been confirmed, you change your mind and wish to claim a refund of any unused driving lessons, the LDC national booking office will contact your LDC driving instructor in the first instance. If the LDC instructor confirms they are able to find replacement work for the cancelled appointments (as stated in term 7 above) we will refund You minus a 3% administration fee or £50 whichever is lower. This administration fee covers our costs incurred as a booking agent.

Payments made through the LDC pupil hub are administered by the LDC National Booking Office. Hub access is granted once an LDC instructor inputs Your details and accepts you as a customer. If after you have made payment through the pupil hub you change your mind and request a refund the LDC national booking office will refund You minus a 3% administration fee or £50 whichever is lower.

LDC does not accept any responsibility for any payments made direct to the LDC instructor but will endeavour to help You with any dispute.

10. Customer Care Payment Protection Scheme
When You or a third party on Your behalf pay money direct to the LDC national booking office it is held in a separate payment holding account for the LDC instructor. This money is not normally passed onto the LDC instructor until You sign a form instructing the LDC national booking office to do so in part or in full. You may be asked to sign a form, at various points during Your training. You should not sign the form or tick the box on Your LDC Pupil App to confirm this unless You are totally satisfied with the training and want the LDC national booking office to pass on sufficient money held in the payment holding account to cover the training time authorised. You can also provide authorisation in writing via an email or verbally by speaking to the LDC national booking office.

To ensure that each LDC instructor provides services to the same high standards all the LDC instructors have agreed that the LDC national booking office should also act as an arbitrator and withhold any money in the payment holding account in the event of a complaint. Only when this matter is resolved to the satisfaction of the LDC Quality Assurance Manager will payment be passed on, or refunded to You or the third party if not paid by You, as the case may be. In this way, the standards of the franchise network of LDC driving schools can be maintained and You can be assured that You get what You paid for. Please note if You book directly with Your local LDC instructor this scheme is not operated and LDC do not accept any responsibility for any payments You make direct to them.

11. The Driving Test

1. Bookings - Driving tests can be booked by You. When booking driving lessons or a course with LDC if You have a driving test date You must declare Your test appointment at point of booking. Driving test bookings always take priority over other lessons. Therefore, Your lesson may be postponed to allow for someone else's driving test and vice-versa. Changes to lesson bookings as a result of this will be notified as quickly as possible. Test appointments must be notified to Your LDC instructor as soon as they are known; otherwise they cannot guarantee to provide a vehicle for the test or any lessons just prior to it.
2. Use of the vehicle - In the interests of customer and public safety Your LDC instructor reserves the right to withhold the use of a car for the test if, in their opinion, Your driving is actually or potentially dangerous - behaviour which if repeated on the test would result in a test failure.
3. Test cancellation - Ten clear working days (Sundays and public holidays don't count as working days) notice of test cancellation or postponement is required by the DVSA. You will find the deadline date on Your DVSA confirmation email. Failure to provide the required notice will result in the loss of Your test fee. In the event the DVSA cancel Your driving test up to 3 days before your test you will still be liable for the cost of the LDC instructor's lesson time but You can claim this and any other out of pocket expenses from the DVSA. The LDC instructor cannot be held responsible for any postponement or cancellation of tests by You or the DVSA.
4. Vehicle Breakdown - In the unlikely event your instructor's tuition vehicle develops a mechanical fault prior to Your driving test they will in the first instance try and source a replacement vehicle (which may not be the same make and model). If this is not possible they will reimburse You the value of the DVSA test fee. They will not provide reimbursement or compensation of any additional costs.

12. Special Offers and Lesson price increase
Driving lesson prices are subject to change and the prices are determined by postcode area and dependent upon transmission (manual or automatic). An LDC instructor has the right to increase their individual prices higher than the price advertised on the main LDC website for a particular postcode area. An LDC instructor may decide to run a special offer but can withdraw or change that special offer at any time.

13. Complaints
In the event of a complaint all efforts must be made to resolve the problem directly with the LDC instructor in the first instance. If You booked Your course or lessons through the LDC national booking office You may contact the person who arranged Your training in the first place for advice and help by ringing 01977 691851. If You booked directly with the LDC instructor and you have been unable to resolve the issue amicably You will need to put Your complaint in writing to the LDC Quality Assurance Manager, LDC Driving Schools Limited, LDC House, Stuart Road, Pontefract, WF8 4PQ or email quality@learnerdriving.com. Please note in the event of any dispute regarding fees paid directly to the LDC instructor, LDC will try to help You resolve the matter but LDC can not be held responsible for any repayment or refund of such fees.

14. Your Statutory Rights
Nothing in these terms and conditions will reduce Your statutory rights relating to faulty goods or services provided. LDC instructors have a statutory obligation to provide You with goods and services fit for the purpose for which they were bought and as described. Similarly, any goods supplied by the LDC national booking office must also be fit for the purpose for which they were bought and as described. If You have any doubts about Your statutory rights please contact Your local Trading Standards Department or Citizen's Advice Bureau.

15. Gift Vouchers
All gift vouchers purchased through the LDC national booking office or directly with Your local LDC instructor are only valid for 6 months from the date of purchase and are subject to the following terms:

• The gift voucher can only be used by the recipient named on the gift voucher and is not transferable.
• The voucher is only valid for 6 months from date of purchase. This means that You must have started Your driving lessons within the 6-month period, but not necessarily finished them. If the voucher has not been redeemed before the expiration date it will not be reissued.
• The voucher is non refundable.
• The voucher has no cash value.
• If a voucher is still valid and lost, another can be re-issued for an admin fee of £10.
• Should the name of the driving instructor on the voucher no longer be an LDC instructor our team will help You find another LDC instructor if possible or if not the initial sum paid to the LDC national booking office for the voucher will be refunded in full for any outstanding hours remaining. Please note gift vouchers purchased directly from the LDC instructor can only be refunded by the LDC instructor. LDC does not accept any responsibility for gift vouchers directly purchased from the LDC instructor.
• If lesson prices have increased before the voucher has been redeemed the holder of the voucher may have to pay the extra cost - this decision is purely down to the LDC instructor named on the voucher.

Please note that LDC instructors only accept official LDC gift vouchers and have the right to decline any third party vouchers that may claim to be accepted by any driving instructor.