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Introduction

The following terms and conditions represent the basis upon which driving lessons and courses are offered to you by your local Alex Colin instructor. Please note the contract for service is between yourself and the local Alex Colin instructor. Each Alex Colin instructor operates his or her own business under franchise from Alex Colin Driving School and has agreed to be bound by the following terms and conditions.

The Alex Colin driving school is a separate entity which has been authorised to act as a booking agent for the members of the Alex Colin instructor franchise network. Please note that all major driving schools in the UK (e.g. BSM and the AA) operate in this way with self-employed franchised instructors.

1.  General Conduct
All Alex Colin instructors are bound by a professional code of conduct. Your instructor will be courteous, polite, tidy and punctual. He or she will also behave in a professional and ethical manner at all times. The cars are of course fully insured for driving tuition and tests. Alex Colin instructors will not smoke in the car while giving tuition, nor will they use your lesson time for any other form of business, personal or otherwise.

2.  Qualifications
As a minimum your instructor will be licensed by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) to give driving tuition. 

3.  Driving Licence and Eyesight
The learner must hold a current, valid driving licence (provisional or full), which must be produced on or in advance of their first lesson. The learner must also check that they can read a number plate at a distance of 20.5 metres (i.e. 67 feet - about 5 car lengths) with glasses if normally worn.

4.  Payments (Intensive Driving Courses)
Please note payments must be made in advance of the training. To book a course, a 50% deposit or the full course fee (if the course start date is within 4 weeks of the booking date) is required.

Please note the deposit or any subsequent training fees paid are not refundable in the event that you decide to cancel the training once the booking has been accepted by your local Alex Colin instructor. At this point a binding agreement is made between yourself and the local Alex Colin instructor. This does not in any way affect your statutory rights to be provided with the goods and services you have bought (please see term 11). Please also note that a full refund will be given if the Alex Colin Booking Office or your local Alex Colin instructor is unable to meet any special requirements noted and as shown under “Special Requirements” on your booking confirmation.

5.  Customer Care Payment Scheme
When you pay money direct to the AlexColin Booking Office it is held in the instructors’ clients holding account. This money is being held on behalf of you and the instructor. This money is not normally passed onto the instructor until the learner signs a form instructing the booking office to do so in part or in full. At various points during the training, the instructor will ask the learner to sign a form confirming their satisfaction with any training given. The learner should not sign this form unless they are totally satisfied with the training and want the office to pass on sufficient money held in the clients account to cover the training time authorised.

To ensure that each instructor provides services to the same high standards all the instructors have agreed that the Alex Colin Booking Office should also act as an arbitrator and withhold any money in the clients account in the event of a complaint. Only when this matter is resolved to the satisfaction of the Alex Colin Managment Team will payment be passed on or refunded as the case may be. In this way, the standards of the franchise can be maintained and you can be assured that you get what you pay for. Please note if you book directly with your Alex Colin instructor this scheme is not operated unless specifically requested and agreed by your Alex Colin instructor.

6.  Lesson Postponement
Provided the Alex Colin instructor can easily obtain additional work for any lessons postponed no penalty will be incurred. If this is not possible the full training fee for the period in question may, at the total discretion of the Alex Colin instructor, be lost or charged. Your Alex Colin instructor reserves the right to postpone lessons if he or she feels that the weather or road conditions are unsuitable or dangerous. The Alex Colin instructor cannot be held responsible for any costs incurred as a result of him or her having to postpone any lessons, for whatever reason.

7.  The Driving Test
a) Bookings
Driving tests can be booked by you, your Alex Colin instructor. 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 immediately. Test appointments must be notified to your Alex Colin instructor as soon as they are known, otherwise he or she cannot guarantee to provide a vehicle for the test.

b) Use of the vehicle
In the interests of customer and public safety your Alex Colin 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.

c) Test cancellation
Three clear working days notice of cancellation or postponement is required by the DSA. Failure to provide the required notice will result in the loss of your test fee. Your Alex Colin instructor cannot be held responsible for any postponement or cancellation of tests by the DSA. However, he or she will do all that is possible to arrange another test as quickly as possible and to help you to reclaim expenses from the DSA.

8.  Punctuality
In their own interests learners are advised to be punctual for their lesson appointments. All such appointments should be recorded (and checked where possible by their instructor) in their driving skills workbook (Appointment Record section) to ensure that mistakes are avoided. The Alex Colin instructor would normally wait for a maximum of 10 minutes before the lesson would be abandoned and the lesson fee forfeited or become due for payment. A reciprocal waiting time may become necessary if the Alex Colin instructor is delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. Any lesson time lost as a result of this would be made up by the instructor either at the end of the normal lesson time if possible or at a later date.

9.  Learner Comfort and Safety
In the interests of comfort and safety learners are advised to wear suitable footwear and clothing which does not restrict movement. Learners must also take note of any medication they are taking that may affect their ability to drive safely and advise their instructor accordingly before taking any lesson booked.

10.  Complaints
In the event of a complaint all efforts must be made to resolve the problem directly with the Alex Colin instructor. However, please do not let a problem linger. You may put your complaint in writing to us by emailing us on complaints@alexcolin.co.uk

11. YOUR STATUTORY RIGHTS
Nothing in these terms and conditions will reduce your statutory rights relating to faulty or misdescribed goods or services provided. Alex Colin 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 Alex Colin 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.