Advance Driving School
Terms & Conditions

Introduction

These Terms and Conditions set out the agreement between the learner and Martin Charles Matthews (“the instructor”), trading as Advance Driving School, for the provision of driving tuition.

Advance Driving School is a trading name and is not a separate legal entity. The contract for driving tuition is directly between the learner and Martin Charles Matthews.

Our aim is to provide safe, structured and professional driving instruction to help learners become confident, responsible and considerate drivers.

By booking or attending a lesson, you agree to these Terms and Conditions. If the learner is under 18, a parent or guardian must approve the booking and accept responsibility for payments due under these terms.

1. Bookings and payments

Lessons are subject to instructor and vehicle availability. A booking is confirmed when it has been accepted by your instructor.

Individual lessons must be paid for at the beginning of each session unless another arrangement has been agreed in advance.

Payment may be made by cash or card.

Block bookings must be paid for in full before the first lesson included in the block.

The instructor will confirm the current lesson price when the booking is made.

2. Price changes

Lesson prices may be changed by giving the learner at least 14 days’ notice.

Any increase will apply only to lessons taking place after the date on which the new price comes into effect. Lessons already paid for as part of a block booking will not be affected by a subsequent price increase.

3. Cancellations by the learner

Cancellations must be made directly to Advance Driving School by telephone call or text message.

Cancellation charges are as follows:

• More than 48 hours’ notice: no charge.
• Between 24 and 48 hours’ notice: £10 cancellation fee.
• Less than 24 hours’ notice, or failure to attend: the full lesson fee is payable.

The notice period is calculated from the time the instructor receives the telephone call or text message.

The instructor may waive or reduce a cancellation charge in exceptional circumstances at their discretion. Repeated cancellations, late cancellations or failures to attend may result in future bookings being declined.

If the learner arrives late, the lesson will normally still end at the scheduled time and the full lesson fee will remain payable. The instructor is not required to extend the lesson where this would affect another booking.

4. Cancellations by the instructor

The instructor will make reasonable efforts to provide lessons at the agreed times. However, a lesson may occasionally need to be postponed because of illness, adverse weather, mechanical problems, road conditions or another circumstance beyond the instructor’s reasonable control.

If the instructor cancels a lesson, no cancellation fee will be charged and any amount already paid for that lesson will be credited or refunded. The lesson will be rearranged as soon as reasonably possible.

The instructor will not be responsible for indirect losses resulting from a postponed lesson but nothing in these terms limits any liability that cannot legally be excluded.

5. Driving licence and legal eligibility

The learner must hold a valid UK provisional or full driving licence appropriate for the vehicle being driven.

The learner must provide their driving licence details and any legally required licence-check information before tuition begins. The instructor may carry out further licence checks during the period of tuition.

The learner must immediately notify the instructor of:

• any change to their licence;
• any disqualification, suspension or revocation;
• any penalty points or pending motoring proceedings;
• any restriction affecting their entitlement to drive; or
• any other matter that could affect their lawful use of the tuition vehicle.

The instructor may refuse or discontinue tuition if satisfactory evidence of the learner’s entitlement to drive is not provided.

6. Eyesight requirements

At or before the first practical lesson, the learner must be able to read a vehicle registration plate from the legally required distance:

• 20 metres for a new-style number plate; or
• 20.5 metres for an old-style number plate.

Glasses or contact lenses may be worn where required. If corrective lenses are needed to meet the eyesight standard, the learner must wear them whenever driving.

The instructor may refuse to begin or continue a lesson if the learner cannot meet the legal eyesight requirement.

7. Health, medication, alcohol and drugs

The learner must tell the instructor about any medical condition, disability, medication or change in health that could affect their ability to drive safely or legally.

The learner is responsible for notifying the DVLA of any medical condition where the law requires them to do so.

The learner must not attend a lesson while under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs or any medication or substance that may impair safe driving.

If the instructor reasonably believes that the learner is unfit to drive safely, the lesson may be refused or ended. Where the condition was within the learner’s control or was not disclosed when it should have been, the full lesson fee may remain payable.

8. Safety and conduct

The learner must follow all reasonable safety instructions given by the instructor.

The instructor may stop or end a lesson where the learner’s behaviour, condition or actions create a safety risk to the learner, instructor, public or vehicle.

Abusive, threatening, discriminatory or otherwise unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated and may result in the immediate termination of the lesson and refusal of future tuition.

The learner must wear suitable footwear and clothing that allow the vehicle controls to be operated safely.

9. Tuition vehicles

Tuition is provided in Advance Driving School’s manual or automatic tuition vehicle, as agreed when the lesson is booked.

The vehicles used for tuition will be appropriately insured, maintained and roadworthy.

The availability of a particular vehicle cannot be guaranteed if it is unavailable because of maintenance, repair, breakdown or another circumstance outside the instructor’s reasonable control.

The learner must not drive or use the tuition vehicle except under the instructor’s supervision or as properly authorised during a practical driving test.

10. Driving tests and use of the tuition vehicle

The learner must discuss and agree the timing of a practical driving test with the instructor before booking it if they wish to use the tuition vehicle.

Booking a test does not automatically guarantee the use of the instructor’s vehicle.

The instructor may refuse or withdraw use of the tuition vehicle if:

• the test was booked without prior agreement;
• the instructor reasonably believes the learner is not ready to take the test safely;
• the learner has not demonstrated an appropriate standard of vehicle control or independent driving;
• the learner has failed to attend agreed lessons or follow the recommended preparation;
• the instructor has concerns about the learner’s licence, eyesight, health, conduct or fitness to drive;
• payment is outstanding; or
• the vehicle becomes unavailable because of breakdown, damage, safety concerns or circumstances beyond the instructor’s reasonable control.

Where reasonably possible, the instructor will give the learner as much notice as possible of any decision to withdraw the vehicle.

This clause does not prevent the learner from taking the test in another suitable vehicle that meets the DVSA’s requirements.

11. Test-day charges

Unless a different arrangement is agreed in advance, a standard two-hour lesson fee will be charged on the day of the practical driving test.

This normally covers:

• a pre-test warm-up lesson;
• travel to and from the test centre;
• use of the tuition vehicle during the test; and
• the instructor’s time.

Any additional time required because of the location or timing of the test will be discussed and agreed beforehand.

12. Tests cancelled or postponed by the DVSA

Advance Driving School is not responsible for a practical or theory test cancelled, delayed or postponed by the DVSA.

The instructor’s fee may remain payable where the instructor and tuition vehicle have been reserved and made available for the test.

Where the DVSA cancels a practical test at short notice for a qualifying reason, the learner may be entitled to claim certain out-of-pocket expenses, including some instructor or vehicle costs, directly from the DVSA. Eligibility and the amount recoverable are determined by the DVSA.

Claims are not generally available where a test is cancelled because of adverse weather. The learner should check the current rules on GOV.UK.

The instructor will provide a suitable receipt or other reasonable information needed to support an eligible claim.

13. Motoring offences, fines and damage

The learner must comply with road traffic law and the instructor’s directions while driving.

Responsibility for any motoring offence, penalty, fine or endorsement arising while the learner is driving will be determined in accordance with the law. The instructor may provide the learner’s identity and other required information to the police, DVLA, court, parking authority or another authorised body.

The learner will not normally be charged for accidental damage covered by the tuition vehicle’s insurance. However, the instructor reserves the right to seek recovery of losses caused deliberately or by conduct that is reckless, unlawful or contrary to clear safety instructions, to the extent permitted by law.

14. Pass Plus and refresher tuition

Refresher lessons are charged at the applicable standard hourly rate for the manual or automatic vehicle used.

The content and duration of refresher tuition will be agreed according to the learner’s experience and requirements.

15. Instructor responsibilities

The instructor will:

• hold the qualifications and registration required to provide paid driving tuition;
• provide professional and structured instruction;
• use an appropriately insured and roadworthy tuition vehicle;
• treat learners fairly and respectfully;
• provide reasonable feedback on progress; and
• give an honest professional opinion about readiness for the practical driving test.

The instructor cannot guarantee that a learner will pass a theory or practical driving test.

16. Learner responsibilities

The learner must:

• attend lessons punctually;
• make payments when due;
• hold a valid driving licence;
• provide accurate and complete information;
• meet the legal eyesight and medical requirements;
• follow reasonable safety instructions;
• behave appropriately during tuition; and
• take reasonable care of the tuition vehicle and its equipment.

Progress will vary between learners. The learner remains responsible for applying what has been taught and maintaining an appropriate standard of preparation.

17. Bookings made by telephone, email or text

Where a booking contract is entered into without meeting in person—for example, by telephone, email or text message—the learner may have a statutory right to cancel it within 14 days.

If the learner asks for a lesson to take place during that 14-day period, they are requesting that the service begins before the cancellation period has ended. If the service is fully completed during that period, the statutory cancellation right may be lost. If it is only partly completed before cancellation, the learner may be required to pay for the service supplied up to that point.

This statutory right is separate from the lesson-cancellation policy in section 3.

18. Personal information and privacy

The instructor may collect and use personal information including contact details, driving-licence information, lesson and payment records, test information and relevant health information.

Information will be used only where there is an appropriate lawful basis, including to:

• manage bookings and payments;
• provide safe and effective tuition;
• check entitlement and fitness to drive;
• communicate with the learner;
• comply with legal, insurance and regulatory obligations; and
• establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

Health information receives additional protection under data-protection law.

Further information about how personal information is collected, stored, used and shared is provided in the Advance Driving School Privacy Policy, available at: https://advancedrivingschool.com/privacy-policy/

19. Liability

Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot legally be excluded or limited.

Subject to those protections, the instructor will not be responsible for a failure or delay caused by circumstances beyond their reasonable control, including DVSA action, severe weather, road closures, illness or unexpected vehicle failure.

Nothing in these terms affects the learner’s statutory consumer rights.

20. Complaints

Any concern should initially be raised directly with the instructor so that there is an opportunity to resolve it promptly and fairly.

A formal complaint may be submitted using the following contact details:

Telephone: 01209 821998
Email: martinmatthews603@btinternet.com
Postal address: 1 Cross Roads, St Day, Redruth, Cornwall. TR16 5PN

The instructor will acknowledge and investigate the complaint within a reasonable period.

21. Changes to these Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions may be updated when reasonably necessary, including to reflect changes in the law, DVSA requirements or the services provided.

The latest version will be available on the Advance Driving School website.

Changes will not unfairly remove rights relating to lessons already paid for or retrospectively alter an existing confirmed booking.

22. Governing law

These Terms and Conditions are governed by the law of England and Wales.

Any dispute may be dealt with by the courts of England and Wales, subject to any mandatory consumer right allowing proceedings to be brought elsewhere.

Effective from: 24th August, 2026
Instructor’s full legal name: Mr Martin Charles Matthews
Trading as: Advance Driving School