Terms & conditions

These terms apply to driving lessons, block bookings, intensive courses and test-day car use booked with Driving First, a DVSA-approved driving instructor (ADI) based in Liversedge, West Yorkshire. In these terms, “I”, “me” and “my” mean Driving First, and “you” means the pupil. If someone else books or pays for you, such as a parent, they agree to these terms on your behalf.

By booking a lesson you agree to these terms, so please read them carefully. Nothing in them affects your legal rights as a consumer. If you train with me as a trainee driving instructor, the training agreement I give you at the time applies alongside these terms.

You can ask to book through the website, by phone, by WhatsApp or by email. A booking request is not confirmed until I've confirmed a date and time with you and your payment has been received.

All lessons depend on my availability. I may decline a booking, for example if your pickup address is outside the areas I cover.

To take a lesson with me you must:

• hold a valid UK provisional (or full) driving licence that covers cars, and show me the photocard at your first lesson
• be at least 17 years old (or 16 if you receive the enhanced rate of the mobility component of Personal Independence Payment)
• be able to read a number plate from 20 metres in good daylight, wearing glasses or contact lenses if you need them
• have told the DVLA about any medical condition that affects your driving, and tell me about it before you drive

If a lesson can't go ahead because you don't meet these requirements, for example you don't have your licence with you, it will be treated as a late cancellation.

Current prices and offers are shown on the prices page. The price you pay is the price confirmed when you book.

• Lessons are paid for in advance, by bank transfer or card. I don't take cash, or payment on the day.
• A lesson is only confirmed once your payment has been received.
• Introductory offers are for new pupils only, one per person, and are subject to any conditions shown with the offer.
• I may change my prices from time to time. Lessons you've already paid for will always be honoured at the price you paid.

Block bookings and intensive courses are paid for in full in advance, at the discounted rate shown on the prices page. Each lesson within a block or course is covered by the cancellation and lateness rules below.

If you decide to stop part-way through, I'll refund the hours you haven't used. The hours you have used are charged at the full price of a single lesson, as the block discount only applies to the complete block. If the hours you've used, charged at the single-lesson price, cost more than you paid, no refund is due. I'll pay refunds within 14 days of your request, back to the account or card you paid from.

An intensive course is designed to prepare you for a test as quickly as safely possible, but I can't guarantee that you'll reach test standard by a particular date, that a test slot will be available, or that you'll pass.

If you book online, by phone or by message, the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give you the right to cancel within 14 days of the day we agree your booking, without giving a reason. To cancel, just tell me by phone, message or email.

If you cancel within those 14 days and haven't had any lessons, I'll refund everything you've paid. If you've asked for lessons to start within the 14 days, you'll pay for the lessons you've had (for block bookings, as set out above), and I'll refund the rest. After 14 days, the cancellation and refund rules in these terms apply.

I need at least 3 clear working days' notice to cancel or move a lesson. Working days are Monday to Friday, not including bank holidays, the day you tell me or the day of the lesson. For example, to move a Friday lesson, tell me by the end of the Monday before.

• With 3 clear working days' notice, I'll move the lesson or refund it at no charge.
• With less notice, or if you miss a lesson, the full lesson fee is charged (or the hours are taken from your block).
• I know emergencies happen. In genuine exceptional circumstances I may waive the charge, but that's at my discretion.

Please let me know by phone, text, WhatsApp or email. Comments or messages on social media don't count as notice.

• If you're not ready when I arrive at your pickup address, I'll wait for up to 15 minutes. After that, the lesson is treated as missed and charged in full.
• If you're late but we can still start, the lesson still finishes at the planned time.
• If I'm late, you'll still get your full lesson time, or I'll credit the time you've missed to a future lesson.

Occasionally I may need to cancel or cut short a lesson, for example because of illness, a problem with the car, road closures or weather that makes driving unsafe. I'll give you as much notice as I can, and either rebook the lesson at no extra cost or refund it in full, whichever you prefer.

You must be fit to drive for every lesson. That means:

• not being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, including any medicine that warns against driving
• not being unwell or too tired to concentrate safely
• wearing footwear that lets you feel and control the pedals, and your glasses or lenses if you need them
• keeping your phone switched off or on silent and out of reach while you drive

If I believe you aren't fit to drive safely, I'll stop or not start the lesson, and it will be treated as a late cancellation. I may use the dual controls at any time to keep everyone safe.

• Lessons take place in my dual-control manual car, which is insured for driving tuition and kept roadworthy and maintained.
• Lessons start and finish at your agreed pickup address, unless we arrange otherwise. Lesson time includes a short briefing and debrief.
• Lessons follow the DVSA's national standard for driving cars, and I'll give you honest feedback on your progress. I can't guarantee how many lessons you'll need, or that you'll pass your test.
• Please don't smoke, vape or eat in the car.
• Passengers or other people can only come on a lesson if we've agreed it in advance (for example, a parent watching a lesson).

• You're responsible for booking, and paying the DVSA for, your theory and practical tests. Please agree the date with me before booking a practical test, so I'm available and you're likely to be ready.
• Using my car for your practical test costs the price of a 3-hour lesson. This covers a warm-up lesson before the test, the test itself and the time around it. It's paid in advance and is covered by the cancellation rules above.
• If I believe your driving isn't yet at a safe standard for test, I can decline the use of my car. I'll tell you as early as I can, and refund any test-day fee you've paid me. The DVSA test fee is between you and the DVSA.
• If your test can't go ahead because of something within your control, such as not bringing your licence, the test-day fee is still payable.
• If the DVSA cancels your test, I'm not responsible for that cancellation. You may be able to claim back out-of-pocket costs from the DVSA, and I'll do my best to be available for your new date.

My car is insured for you to drive during lessons and tests with me. You are not insured to drive my car at any other time. If you cause damage to the car deliberately, or by ignoring my instructions or these terms, I may ask you to cover the cost of the repair or any insurance excess.

I'm not responsible for any private practice you do in another vehicle. It's up to you and your supervising driver to make sure that car is legal, taxed, roadworthy and insured for you.

My car is fitted with a dashcam for safety and to protect us both if there's an incident. Footage is handled as described in my privacy policy.

After you pass, I'll only take or share a pass photo, or publish a review from you, if you're happy for me to. You can ask me to remove it at any time.

I'll always treat you with respect, and I ask the same in return. If a pupil, or anyone acting for them, is abusive, threatening or behaves in a way that puts safety at risk, I may end lessons and refund any unused prepaid lessons in line with these terms.

If you're under 18, a parent or guardian may book and pay for lessons on your behalf, and I may contact them about bookings and payments.

I'll provide lessons with reasonable care and skill, as the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires. If something isn't right, tell me and I'll put it right, for example with a free replacement lesson or a refund.

I'm not responsible for losses that weren't a foreseeable result of me breaking these terms, or for business losses. Nothing in these terms limits my liability for death or personal injury caused by my negligence, for fraud, or for anything else that can't be limited by law.

If you're unhappy with anything, please talk to me first, by phone on 07470 478116 or by email at contact@drivingfirst.co.uk. I'll reply within 7 days and do my best to sort it out.

If you're not satisfied, or your complaint is about my conduct as an instructor, you can complain to the DVSA.

You can stop having lessons at any time. I may also stop providing lessons if these terms are broken, or if I can no longer teach in your area. Either way, any unused prepaid lessons will be refunded as set out above.

I may update these terms from time to time. The terms that apply to a booking are the ones in place when you made it. I'll tell you about any important changes that affect future bookings.

These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and the courts of England and Wales can hear any dispute.