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Complaints Policy

Version: 1.0
Updated:
18th April, 2023

At Shift Driving School, we strive to provide the highest quality of service to our customers. However, we understand that there may be occasions when a customer may wish to make a complaint. We take all complaints seriously and aim to resolve them promptly and fairly. This policy outlines the process for making a complaint and our commitment to resolving complaints.

Making a Complaint
If you have a complaint about any aspect of our service, you can raise it with us by:

  • Speaking to your driving instructor or a member of our office team in person or over the phone
  • Emailing us at complaints@shiftdrivingschool.co.uk
  • Writing to us at Shift Driving School, 15 The Workspace, The Fed, Lancaster Road, Gateshead NE11 9JR

When making a complaint, please provide as much detail as possible, including the date and time of the incident, the name of the instructor or staff member involved, and any other relevant information.

Complaints Procedure
Once we receive a complaint, we will acknowledge it within 48 hours and provide you with an estimated time frame for resolving the issue. We will then investigate the matter thoroughly and provide you with a written response within 10 working days. In some cases, we may need to take longer to fully investigate the issue, in which case we will provide you with regular updates on the progress of the investigation.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the option to appeal the decision within 7 working days. To do so, please provide us with a letter outlining the details of your appeal. This can be sent via any of the methods listed above. Your appeal will be reviewed by a member of staff who was not involved in the original investigation. They will provide you with a final response within 10 working days.

We hope that we can resolve any complaints or issues you have with our service through our internal complaints procedure. However, if you are still not satisfied with the outcome after following our complaints procedure and receiving a final response from a senior member of staff, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) by clicking here.

Please be advised that you are at liberty to contact the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) directly at any stage during the investigation, and are not obliged to engage our services as an intermediary. However, we earnestly implore you to grant us the chance to resolve any concerns internally before escalating the matter, as we are dedicated to providing our customers with the utmost standard of service.

We take confidentiality seriously and will only share information about your complaint with those who need to know in order to investigate and resolve the issue. We will keep a record of your complaint and our response in accordance with our data protection policy.

We value all feedback, including complaints, as an opportunity to improve our service. We will review all complaints and use them to identify areas where we can improve. We will also share feedback with our team to ensure that we are constantly striving to provide the highest quality of service to our customers.

Khant Chan M.
3 days ago
I had a great experience with Shift Driving School, especially with my two instructors, Phil and Alex. Both were incredibly patient, friendly and knowledgeable. They always gave me honest feedback on the spot, explaining what I was doing well, what needed improvement and why. They taught me a lot about proper road positioning, what to look out for and what to do and avoid in different driving situations.

I originally booked 10 hours of lessons but managed to pass my driving test first time after just 8 hours! Their guidance, encouragement and patience really helped me become a more confident and safer driver.

A massive thank you to Phil and Alex! I would highly recommend them to anyone learning to drive!
Jamb0_20o7 _.
4 days ago
Mady S.
1 month ago
I highly recommend them. I had a driving lesson and a mock test, and both were professional and really helpful. The clear feedback improved my confidence, and I passed my test today! Thank you so much for all your help and support⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Caitlin Y.
1 month ago
I would highly recommend my driving instructor Simon Houghton! He taught me in ways that were completely different to my previous instructors, which really helped me build my confidence and improve my driving. He has a great sense of humour, which made every lesson enjoyable and relaxed. Most importantly, his teaching and support helped me pass my driving test! Couldn’t thank him enough. 🚗🎉
Vicki M.
1 month ago
From back in march when I phoned shift to start to learn to drive they were amazing was assigned a tutor quickly and have to say Lewis is amazing at his job put me at ease from the get go ! Was always calm and knowledgeable and adapted well to me being an older learner being late 40s and 6 months later I passed my test can’t thank Lewis enough for helping me get there quicker then I ever thought I would be can’t recommend them enough
Thanks shift team your the best out there
Jack
2 months ago
I booked my test in an area I was mostly unfamiliar with, so I booked three 2-hour lessons with Lewis to get used to the roads beforehand. It was definitely the right call. Lewis was really calm, patient and knowledgeable, and he took me around a lot of the places the test route might cover, so nothing on the day came as a surprise.

He also helped me iron out a few kinks in my driving, and his tips were clear and easy to put into practice. The car was great too, very smooth to drive, and it definitely helped me on the day.

I passed, and I definitely reckon I wouldn't have without him. I'd happily recommend Lewis to anyone, especially if you're taking your test somewhere you're not familiar with. Cheers Lewis!
Jonnie T.
2 months ago
Just passed yesterday with 0 driving faults. Thankyou so much to my instructor Paul.
Ellie L.
2 months ago
Great driving instructor, I would recommend to anyone!
Annie S.
2 months ago
10-10 driving school got me through 23 hours of lessons
Zachary H.
2 months ago
I passed my test yesterday and Simon my instructor was a huge part of that. He was extremely helpful and supportive, very approachable and always had time for my questions and queries. I’d absolutely recommend Shift and Simon to anyone who wants to pass their test and enjoy the process along the way!