Topclass Driving School Terms and Conditions

The following terms and conditions represent the basis upon which driving lessons and courses are offered to you by your local Topclass driving instructor. Please be aware the contract for service is between yourself and the local Topclass instructor. Each Topclass instructor operates his or her own driving school business under franchise from Topclass Driving School and has agreed to be bound by the following terms and conditions. The Topclass Booking Office is a separate entity which has been authorised to act as a booking agent for the members of the Topclass driving school franchise network

Your instructor

Your driving instructor is an independent self-employed franchisee of Topclass Driving School.

Lessons

You must hold a current, valid driving licence, provisional, full or international and produce it on your first driving lesson. You must be fit to drive with regard to legal and medical requirements. Including, being able to read a number plate at a distance of 20.5 metres (i.e. 67 feet - about 5 car lengths) with prescribed visual aids (i.e. contact lenses or glasses) if normally worn.

The contract for driving tuition is solely between you and you’re driving Instructor. You and your Instructor are responsible for agreeing all matters relating to the timing, location and duration of individual lessons. All driving lessons booked with him/her constitute an agreement between the instructor and the pupil.

Where Topclass makes bookings with, or supplies any information or documentation to you, or receives any payments for your lessons, they act as the agent of your Instructor. Please note all driving schools in the UK (e.g. AA , BSM, Red ) operate in this way with self employed driving instructors. Topclass will not be held responsible for any disputes or refunds.

A suitable car will be provided for training, which is insured, taxed and has a valid MOT certificate (if required). The vehicle will be fitted with dual controls for your safety and regularly serviced to the manufacturers servicing schedule.

Smoking is NOT ALLOWED within the training vehicle, although if required you can take a break and smoke outside the vehicle. We accept no responsibility for any property left in the training vehicle.

Payments and lesson bookings

You must pay for driving lessons in advance by using one of the following methods: payment by credit / debit card or BACS online via our website payment system. Or payment by cash, cheque or credit/debit card direct to Your Instructor. (Any cheques must be made payable to Your Instructor. Your instructor will confirm whether or not they are able to take payments via credit or debit card.)

Topclass Driving School has no responsibility or liability to you for payments made by other means, and further more if you do pay your Instructor directly by cash, cheque or card payment, you should obtain a receipt. Topclass Driving School accepts no responsibility for any payments made direct to Instructors and will not be responsible for any monies or refunds owed to you by your instructor.

Any driving lessons / motorway lessons / refresher and pass plus courses are valid for 3 months from date of purchase. Lessons must commence before the expiry date and be completed within 6 months of purchase date. No refunds will be given after this period.

Intensive courses

25% of the total course cost is required as a booking fee and is nonrefundable. The remaining balance is due 2 weeks prior to the course start date, unless full payment is made at time of booking.Should a client require a formal invoice please request this on booking.

Once an intensive driving course is booked and balance paid via our website, over the phone or directly to the driving instructor, no refund of the payment will be returned to the purchaser.

Should a client cancel the course for whatever reason, no refund of the payment will be returned to the purchaser. The booking is a binding contract between the instructor and pupil, once paid, you have agreed to the contract.

Any cheques returned to us unpaid will result in a £10 charge per cheque which the Company is charged by its bank. Payments made by credit card will also accrue a 3% administration charge. We accept all major credit Debit cards.

Driving Lessons Paid By phone

Following receipt of a fully paid order for driving lessons, an instructor will contact you within 24 hours to arrange your driving lessons, unless you are already taking lessons with us, In this case the lessons will be credited to your account. We accept all major credit/debit cards or BACS payment.

Refunds

In the unlikely event that you are not totally satisfied for any reason, and are entitled to a refund any used training time (lessons already taken place) will be re-calculated at the normal lesson rate and charged at the standard lesson rate of £35.00 per hour manual / £37.00 per hour auto and the remainder will be refunded to you accordingly. A refund cheque/ BACS payment will be sent to you for the difference less a £10.00 admin fee - within 1 - 4 working days. 

In the event that a pre-pay deal including the Try us and see deal and any discounted block booking deal is not completed before you pass your practical driving test with us any used training time (lessonsalready taken place) will be re-calculated at the normal lesson rate and charged at the standard rate of £35.00 per hour manual / £37.00 per hour auto and the remainder will be refunded to you accordingly. A refund cheque/ BACS payment will be sent to you for the difference less a £10.00 admin fee - within 1 - 4 working days. 

Any driving lessons / motorway lessons / refresher and pass plus courses are valid for 3 months from date of purchase. Lessons must commence before the expiry date and be completed within 6 months of purchase date. No refunds will be given after this period. Please Note: intensive courses are not covered by our Money back guarantee and are non refundable.

Gift Vouchers

After purchasing gift vouchers, you will receive vouchers/ virtual gift card entitling the holder to driving lessons with a Topclass driving instructor. All vouchers/ virtual gift card have an expiry date of at least 3 months from the time of purchase so to ensure the availability of an instructor in your area. Lessons must commence before the expiry date and be completed within 6 months of purchase date. No refunds will be given after this period.

Gift vouchers are non refundable and cannot be exchanged for cash under any circumstances.

Any lost or stolen gift vouchers will not be replaced and cannot be transferred (this is to prevent any fraudulent activity).

Once you are ready to book your first lesson, please telephone our office number and we will arrange for an instructor to contact you. Your lessons can be taken by the hour, 1 1/2 hours or 2 hours at a time. Please allow 1-4 working days for delivery of gift vouchers by post or we can deliver them to you if needed sooner.

Offers

Try us and see deals and Block booking deals must be paid for in advance to receive the discount.

Only one special offer will be granted per pupil.

All of our special offers are targeted at beginner drivers, who have little or no experience never and will start with the basics. Should you receive driving lessons/ vouchers at a discounted rate and not be a beginner driver, you will need to pay the difference directly to your instructor.

Any special offer /block booking has a discount attached to it. The hours have an expiry date of 3 months from time of purchase. Lessons must commence before the expiry date and be completed within 6 months of purchase date. No refunds will be given after this period.

Please Note: To qualify for the "Try Us and See Deal" and "Block booking discounts" The full 10 hours must be completed. Refunds are subject to our terms and conditions.

Free lesson offers pupils must book a 2 hour lesson. The first hour is FREE the second hour must be paid for. Usual lesson rates will apply.

Referral scheme offers - for any referrals you make to Topclass driving school you will receive 1 hour of free tuition once the referral has taken and paid for 2 hours of driving tuition. You can refer any number of friends or family members.

Cancellations

If you wish to cancel a lesson a minimum of 48 hours prior notice must be given. Cancellations must be made directly between you and your Instructor. If you do not give at least 48 hours notice of cancellation, Your Instructor will be entitled to charge for the lesson(s) concerned unless a doctors certificate can be produced. Cancellation also includes if the duration of the lesson is changed, e.g. 2 hours to 1 hour, or 1 and a half hours to 1 hour.

The instructor reserves the right to cancel a lesson at short notice if it is suspected that the pupil may be unfit to drive due to the effects of alcohol, drugs or any other condition that would cause his/her driving to be illegal. In such circumstances the lesson fee will be payable. Your instructor reserves the right to postpone lessons in certain circumstances i.e. dangerous weather conditions, mechanical breakdown or illness.

The instructor reserves the right to withdraw the car for test without notice should the pupil prove not to be of test standard. your instructor will make every effort to ensure that the vehicle supplied for test is road worthy and complies with all legal requirements he/she cannot be held responsible for any vehicle failure that occurs before or during the test and is not liable for consequential loss.

Your instructor cannot be held responsible for test appointments cancelled by the DSA due to bad weather, sickness, staff shortages or other reasons. These cancellations are beyond the control of your instructor and therefore the lesson fee and 'use of car' fee for the test period will be charged. Your instructor will advise you about claiming compensation from the DSA.

By entering into driving lessons with Topclass driving school you are agreeing to the above terms and conditions.

Complaints

In the event of a complaint all efforts must be made to resolve the problem directly with your driving instructor. However, please do not let a problem linger. If you booked your course or lessons through the Topclass Booking Office you may contact the person who arranged your training in the first place for advice and help by ringing 0333 772 0393 or If you booked directly with the Topclass instructor you will need to put your complaint in an email to the Topclass instructor franchise Quality Control Director, Stating your full name address and contact number your Instructors name and full details of complaint to info@topclassdrivinglessons.com

By entering into driving lessons with Topclass driving school you are agreeing to the above terms and conditions.

Topclass Terms and Conditions are stated to avoid misunderstanding and do not affect your statutory rights as a consumer.

Address

Topclass Driving School, 8 Willowby Gardens, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 8TB

Office Hours

Mon to Sat: 9am - 6pm
Sun: 10am - 4pm
(Closed Bank Holidays)