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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.

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Eleanor S.
I was lucky enough to be taught by Alex who was brilliant! Alex was very supportive and honestly just seemed to know exactly what to say when it came to my anxiety around driving. I would definitely recommend Shift to anyone wanting to learn how to drive.
Megan W.
100% recommend Shift to anyone looking to learn. Simon is an excellent instructor, so calm and confident, took his time to understand me and how I learn best so that I could become a confident driver. Passed today with only 1 minor fault!
Yusuf A.
Hassan is extraordinary, got me sorted for my test within a few months! Calm, collected and goes above and beyond. Highly recommended
Garry D.
Highly recommend Shift Driving School. They were an absolute pleasure to deal with from start to finish. Special shout out to my instructor Hassan, who taught me from scratch in just under 6 months. I had no previous driving experience at all and he talked through the steps and skills needed clearly, always supportively pushing me to be my best. Delighted to have passed at first attempt! Couldn’t have done it without the team at Swift and Hassan. Thank you!
Alfred T.
Great instructors, Hassan got me passed really fast and even managed to move my test to a sooner date! Super patient and great at explaining. Would highly recommend.
Denise W.
I 10000000% recommend this driving school my instructor has been appsalutly amazing he had so much patience and really helped me through all my lessons then he recommend me a nervous course which really helped me as I really struggled with my nerve on my test but I finally done it and passed my test and I wouldn't have been able to do it if it wasn't for lewis so thank u sooooo much :)
Anna K.
I had a great experience learning to drive with Shift and my instructor, Ciaran. As an anxious driver, I really appreciated his patience, encouragement, and support, which helped me build up my confidence behind the wheel. The booking app was also very convenient and easy to use, and Ciaran was always flexible and accommodating with my availability. Thanks to his help, I passed my driving test on the first try. Big thank you to Shift and especially to Ciaran for all the support!
Webdeco.
What a great company to not only learn to drive with, but to actually work with too. We would highly recommend Shift without a doubt.
chris E.
My experience using Shift Driving School in Gateshead has been outstanding from start to finish.

My instructor, Simon Houghton, was incredibly patient, personable, and knowledgeable. He explained everything clearly, tailored lessons to my pace, and kept me calm with encouraging, constructive feedback.

His local knowledge and practical tips made a huge difference, and my confidence grew every week.

Thanks to Simon’s guidance, I’ve just passed my driving test and feel ready to drive independently.

I’d highly recommend Shift driving School—especially Simon—to anyone in Gateshead looking for a supportive, professional instructor and great results.
Megan W.
Passed with Simon today! He’s an outstanding instructor, so much patience and understanding, especially for neurodivergent learners. My confidence developed massively whilst learning with Simon. Also big shout out to the whole team, especially Lewis, for being so reassuring when I first reached out about lessons. I’d recommend these guys to anyone.