Terms & Conditions
Version: 1.1
Updated: 14th September, 2023
ABOUT US
We are Shift Driving School, a trading name of NE Driving Solutions Ltd and shall be referred to throughout these terms of business as Shift.
Shift directly collaborates with individual driving instructors who work as self-employed franchisees of Shift under a franchise agreement. As a student, your driving tuition contract is exclusively between you and your instructor.
STUDENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS
To be eligible for driving lessons, you must meet the following criteria:
- Be aged 17 years or older (16 years or over if you have a disability)
- Hold a valid UK driving licence (either provisional, full, or a suitable foreign licence)
Before your first driving lesson, you must provide us with a Driving Licence Check Code. You can obtain this at the .gov.uk website. You must also take your driving licence with you on your first lesson. If you fail to provide this, your instructor is entitled to refuse to conduct the driving lesson but may still charge you for the lesson.
PAYING FOR LESSONS
PRE-PAYING VIA SHIFT
Shift operates its website and office facilities in order to allow customers to purchase driving lessons with a Shift driving instructor.
You can pay for driving lessons and other services in advance via one of the following methods:
- By credit or debit card online at shiftdrivingschool.co.uk
- Via Bank Transfer using the following details:
Name of Business: NE Driving Solutions Ltd t/a Shift Driving School
Sort Code: 30-99-50
Account Number: 83742068
Reference: Students Name
The following terms apply to the Shift pre-payment service:
- Your funds will be held by Shift in a separate designated Account keeping them separate from the trading assets and liabilities of Shift. This account will be a UK bank account of Shifts choosing and may be interest bearing.
- Funds held in the Shift Client Account will be used to pay your driving instructor on a lesson by lesson basis once lessons have been delivered or in line with our cancellation policy unless a dispute has been raised by the customer.
- It is your responsibility to monitor your payments and scheduled lessons within the Total Drive app and to report any discrepancies to Shift as soon as possible. If a dispute is logged with Shift, we will place the transaction in dispute where possible and will endeavor to resolve the issue promptly.
- Any interest accrued on funds help in Shifts Client Account shall belong to Shift and you agree that neither you nor your instructor or any other person shall have any claim on or entitlement to any such interest.
MAKING PRE-PAYMENTS TO SHIFT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON
If a payment is made on behalf of someone else, that payment will be treated as if it were made by the customer themselves. The person who made the pre-payment (referred to as a Non-Customer) will not have any entitlement to the money or interest, nor any rights under the terms of the agreement. Shift does not provide any services to Non-Customers, and the pre-payment scheme is solely for the benefit of learners who are entitled to refunds in accordance with the terms. It is important to note that this notice does not restrict or eliminate any legal rights that Non-Customers may have.
BOOKING FEES
A booking fee of £2.49 is payable for any lesson package, including block bookings or gift vouchers, purchased through Shift. We charge this fee to facilitate the booking process between you and your instructor and to help cover the costs of managing your funds in our Client Account.
PAYING YOUR INSTRUCTOR DIRECTLY
Shift does not assume any responsibility for payments made directly to instructors. However, we are committed to cooperating with our customers and investigating any disputes or issues that may arise in relation to such payments. Our goal is to ensure that all parties involved in our services receive fair and satisfactory treatment, and we will do our utmost to facilitate a resolution that meets these objectives.
DRIVING LESSON TERMS & CONDITIONS
It is the joint responsibility of both you and your instructor to come to an agreement regarding the timing, location, and length of your individual driving lessons. You should keep your instructor informed of your availability, we recommend utilizing the availability function on the Total Drive app. There is no guarantee that your instructor will be available for your preferred time and date.
It is your responsibility to inform your instructor of any circumstances that may affect your entitlement or ability to have driving lessons, including but not limited to the lack or loss of a valid driving license, medical conditions, intoxication, lack of sleep etc.
It is deemed acceptable for instructors to experience delays due to unforeseen circumstances, such as traffic delays. In the event that such a delay occurs, the student will be entitled to a credit of the amount equivalent to the duration of the delay. Additionally, it should be noted that the full duration of the lesson may not proceed as planned due to the aforementioned delay.
REFUND POLICY
If you decide that you would no longer wish to have driving lessons through Shift, we will refund any funds remaining in the Client Account in line with the refund terms below:
Once your driving lessons or services have taken place, you will not be entitled to a refund.
If your driving lessons or services have not yet taken place, you may request a refund subject to the deduction of an administration fee of £25.
You must utilize the funds paid to Shift for prepaid driving lessons within six months from the date of your initial payment. Failure to do so means that any unapplied funds will not be refunded nor can they be used for future driving lessons.
You may only pay for driving lessons using the methods specified above. Neither Shift nor your instructor accept responsibility for any monies paid for lessons using any other method. We do not arrange lessons through social media channels, auction sites, or any other websites. In the case of a discounted partner promotion, you will be given a promotion code to purchase discounted lessons on our website or via our office over the telephone. If you are unsure about the validity of any offer for driving lessons with a Shift instructor, please contact Shift here.
CANCELLATION POLICY
STUDENT CANCELLATIONS
You must give at least 48hours notice to your instructor if you wish to re-arrange or cancel your driving lesson. Failure to give the required notice for any cancelation regardless of the circumstances may result in your instructor charging the full amount for the lesson.
If a student has booked multiple lessons and cancels one or more with less than 48 hours’ notice, any fees already paid will be applied to the cancelled lessons first. In such cases, the cancellation takes priority over paid for lessons, and the student’s account will be debited accordingly. This policy ensures fair allocation of resources and helps us manage our schedule effectively.
If a student does not attend a scheduled driving lesson, the instructor will wait for a period of 15 minutes before departing. In the event that the student fails to arrive within this timeframe, the lesson will be considered a no-show and will be charged at the full rate.
Lessons booked by the student within the Total Drive app using the Gaps function are none refundable, even if within the 48hour cancelation period.
To maintain a safe and conducive learning environment, it is important that students do not attend lessons while suffering from any form of illness. This measure is essential to prevent the spread of potential infections and illnesses and to ensure the safety and well-being of all individuals involved in the learning process.
In the event that a student attends a lesson while feeling unwell or suffering from an illness including but not limited to cold, flu, infections or COVID19, the instructor reserves the right to terminate the session. In such circumstances, this will be treated as a late cancellation and the student will be subject to charges as it falls outside of the 48-hour notice period for cancelation.
INSTRUCTOR CANCELLATIONS
Instructors may need to cancel driving lessons under certain circumstances including but not limited to vehicle maintenance, illness, weather, or circumstances that may prevent them from ensuring the student’s safety during the lesson. In such cases, no financial reimbursement will be provided for the cancelled lesson, and the student will not be charged for the lesson.
TEST CANCELLATIONS
Shift or your driving instructor can not be held responsible for any driving or theory tests cancelled by the DVSA.
Shift and your instructor reserve the right to cancel a driving test if, up to the time and date of the test, the instructor determines that the student is not adequately prepared to take the driving test. In such cases, the lesson leading up to the test will be chargeable as a normal lesson. This is for the general safety of the public, driving examiner and the pupil. Please note that the test fee will not be refunded.
In the event that your instructor is unable to take you for your driving test, excluding when the student is not adequately prepared (as per policy above), for reasons including but not limited to vehicle breakdown, illness, circumstances beyond control etc. we will issue a refund or credit for any lesson time owed and reimburse the student for the cost of the test.
MOCK TEST CANCELLATIONS
You must give at least 3 working days notice if you wish to reschedule or cancel your Mock Test. Failure to give the required notice for any cancelation, regardless of the circumstances will result in the full amount being charged.
DRIVING TESTS
TEST BOOKINGS
Shift charges an administration fee in addition to the standard Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) test fees for all tests booked through our services. This fee covers the cost of administering the booking process. We reserve the right to cancel tests booked by a student up until the date and time of the test if we have reason to believe that the student is not yet prepared to take the test. In such cases, the test fee will not be refunded if the test is cancelled outside of the cancellation window as set out by the DVSA. All test bookings will be allocated to a date when the student is confirmed as being ready by their instructor. While students are permitted to take their own vehicle for the test, we strongly discourage this option if the student is not yet deemed ready by their instructor in the interest of safety. It is important to note that waiting times for tests are outside of our control and may vary depending on DVSA availability.
TEST MANAGEMENT
Shift and your Driving Instructor are not liable in any way to assist in managing, amending or cancelling booked driving tests. Upon the booking of your driving test by Shift or your Instructor, and upon receiving the confirmation email, it is your responsibility to handle any necessary modifications, amendments, or cancellations as required. Any promises or assurances made by Shift or the Instructor regarding test amendments do not impose any liability or responsibility on their part.
In the event of system outages or technical issues from the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency), Shift and your Instructor are not liable for any disruptions, cancelations or delays in the test booking process.
MOCK DRIVING TESTS
By participating in our mock driving tests, you acknowledge and agree to the following. The mock driving test is conducted solely for practice purposes and is not considered an official driving test. No instructional guidance will be provided during the mock test. Students have the option of meeting the mock examiner at a Test Centre or alternatively they can be picked up from an address of their choice. The mock examiner retains the authority to intervene if necessary for the safety of the participant or the general public. Tests may be terminated if, at any point, the mock examiner deems the mock test poses a danger to the safety of the instructor, student, or the general public. In the event of a test termination, no refunds will be issued. Participants are responsible for ensuring that they are well-prepared and test-ready before opting for the mock driving test. Feedback will be given once the test has finished and a copy of this will be sent to the email address provided to us.
LIABILITY
Shift does not accept liability for any accidents, injuries, or losses incurred by students or other individuals during the course of instruction or as a result of using our services. All students and customers utilize our services at their own risk and are responsible for their own safety and well-being while under supervision. Shift does not accept responsibility for any damage or injury to vehicles, persons, or property that may arise during the course of instruction or practice. By engaging our services, students and customers acknowledge and accept these terms and agree to hold Shift and any employees, agents, and representatives harmless from any and all liability arising from the use of our services.
