Sheppey Driving

Manual Lessons

Terms and Conditions – Sheppey Driving

Introduction

The following terms and conditions set out the basis on which driving lessons and courses are offered to you, the trainee, by your driving instructor.

Please note that the contract for services is between you, the trainee, and your instructor. All instructors operate their own businesses under the name Sheppey Driving and have agreed to be bound by the following terms and conditions.

General Conduct

All instructors are bound by a professional code of conduct and will act in a courteous, polite, punctual and professional manner at all times.

Instructors will behave in an ethical and professional manner and will avoid unnecessary physical contact, except in emergencies or in the normal course of greeting.

All tuition vehicles will:

  • Be fitted with dual controls
  • Be fully insured for driving tuition
  • Be clean, tidy and well maintained

Instructors will not smoke in the vehicle during lessons and will not use lesson time for any other personal or business activities.

Driving Licence Check Code

All pupils must provide their instructor with a valid DVLA driving licence check code before their first lesson.

Failure to provide a valid check code will result in the lesson being postponed until the requirement has been met.

Supervision

Instructors provide driving tuition at the agreed hourly rate shown on the current price list.

Prices may increase from time to time. You will be notified at least one calendar month in advance of any price increase.

Driving Licence and Eyesight

Trainees must hold a current and valid driving licence (provisional or full) which must be produced on or before the first lesson.

Trainees must also be able to read a vehicle registration plate in good daylight from a minimum distance of 20.5 metres (approximately 5 car lengths). Glasses or contact lenses must be worn if normally required.

Tuition Periods

Lessons are normally conducted on a one-to-one basis and will typically be a minimum of two hours in duration.

Exceptions may apply for mock driving tests conducted with another DVSA Approved Driving Instructor (ADI).

Instructor Qualifications

All instructors will, as a minimum, be licensed by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to provide driving tuition and will display their ADI badge in the windscreen during lessons.

Payments

Payment for driving lessons must be made in full at least 48 hours before the scheduled lesson.

Failure to make payment may result in the lesson being cancelled. All payments and lesson credits will be recorded within the Total Drive system.

Cancellations and Postponements

All cancellations must be made directly with your instructor and must be made at least 48 hours in advance.

Failure to provide sufficient notice may result in the full lesson fee being charged or forfeited at the instructor’s discretion.

Instructors reserve the right to cancel lessons due to:

  • Ill health
  • Mechanical issues with the vehicle
  • Unsafe weather or road conditions

Instructors cannot be held responsible for any costs incurred as a result of such cancellations. If an instructor cancels a lesson, the fee will normally be credited towards a future lesson.

Punctuality and Non-Attendance

Trainees are expected to be punctual for their scheduled lessons.

Instructors will normally wait up to 15 minutes after the agreed start time. If the trainee fails to attend within this period, the lesson may be terminated and the full lesson fee may be charged.

If an instructor is delayed due to unforeseen circumstances, a reciprocal waiting time may be required from the trainee. Any lost lesson time will normally be made up during the lesson or at a later date.

Driving Under the Influence

For the safety of all road users, instructors reserve the right to cancel any lesson if the trainee is, or is suspected to be, under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

In such circumstances the full lesson fee will be charged, and instructors reserve the right to refuse any future tuition.

Driving Test Bookings

Driving Test Bookings

It is the responsibility of the trainee to book and manage their own driving test.

However, the date, time and test centre location must be agreed with your instructor prior to booking to ensure that you are test ready and that the instructor covers the chosen test centre and is available to provide the tuition vehicle.

When booking your driving test, you must request your instructor’s ADI number (PRN) and link this to your test booking, unless you intend to use your own vehicle for the test.

The instructor’s availability is managed through the booking system. Pupils must not override or ignore availability warnings when booking a test where use of the instructor’s vehicle is required. If the system indicates that the instructor may not be available, the test must not be booked until availability has been confirmed directly with the instructor.

A minimum of 7 clear days’ notice is required to confirm use of the instructor’s vehicle for a driving test.

If a driving test is booked without prior agreement, at an unsupported test centre, or without sufficient notice, the instructor cannot guarantee availability of the vehicle and may decline to attend.

Instructors reserve the right to refuse the use of the tuition vehicle for a test if, in their professional opinion, the trainee has not yet reached the required driving standard.

Practical Driving Test

Bookings

Driving tests take priority over standard lessons. Lessons may occasionally be rearranged to accommodate a driving test booking.

All driving test bookings must be notified to your instructor as soon as possible. Failure to do so may result in the instructor being unable to provide the tuition vehicle for the test.

Instructors cannot be held responsible for tests that have been double booked without their knowledge.

Use of the Vehicle

In the interests of public and customer safety, instructors reserve the right to refuse the use of the tuition vehicle for the driving test if, in their professional opinion, the trainee’s driving is actually or potentially dangerous.

Test Cancellations

The DVSA requires ten clear working days’ notice to cancel or change a driving test.

Failure to provide this notice will result in the loss of the DVSA test fee. Instructors cannot be held responsible for test cancellations made by the trainee or by the DVSA.

However, instructors will assist where possible in arranging another test and may help with reclaiming expenses where applicable.

Test Day

On the day of your driving test you will normally be booked for three hours of tuition at the standard hourly rate.

This includes:

  • Travel to the test centre area
  • Time to prepare before the test
  • Use of the tuition vehicle during the test

This ensures you arrive in good time and are fully prepared.

Data Protection & Privacy

In accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), by taking driving lessons with Sheppey Driving you consent to us collecting and storing certain personal information necessary to provide driving tuition.

This information may include:

  • Name, address, contact details and date of birth
  • Driving licence number
  • Records of lesson progress and instructor notes
  • Medical conditions that may affect your ability to drive
  • Driving test booking information
  • Photographs taken during lessons or after passing your test (only used online with your permission)
  • Records of lesson payments and receipts

This information is collected and stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR regulations.

Purpose of Data Collection

Your information is collected solely for the purpose of delivering safe, effective and professional driving tuition.

This includes:

  • Booking and managing lessons
  • Recording lesson progress
  • Managing payments
  • Preparing pupils for their driving test

Data Storage & Security

Your instructor stores personal information securely. This may include:

  • Secure storage within the Total Drive (TD) system
  • Password-protected phones, tablets or computers
  • Secure physical storage where required

The Total Drive system is used to manage lesson bookings, contact information, progress records and payment history.

Sharing Your Information

Your personal information will not be shared with third parties without your consent.

In situations where information needs to be shared (for example transferring your progress to another instructor or assisting with a DVSA test booking), we will:

  • Inform you in advance
  • Explain why the information needs to be shared
  • Obtain your permission before doing so

Dash Cameras

Sheppey Driving vehicles are fitted with dash cameras which record external and internal video and audio for the safety and protection of the instructor, the pupil and other road users.

If any lesson footage is to be used for training or educational purposes, you will be informed beforehand.

Your Rights

Under GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Request access to any personal data we hold about you
  • Request corrections to inaccurate information
  • Request the deletion of your personal data

Data Retention

If you pass your driving test or choose to discontinue lessons, your Total Drive account will be made inactive.

Records may be retained for up to 5 years before being permanently deleted. This is necessary for:

  • Accounting and tax requirements
  • Administrative record keeping
  • Providing past records if requested by the pupil