Terms & Conditions

These Terms & Conditions apply to all driving lessons, courses and related services provided by AK Automatic Driving School (AKADS), covering learners across Brighton, Hove, Brighton & Hove, Burgess Hill and the surrounding West Sussex area. By booking or taking a lesson with us, you agree to the terms set out below.

This page covers our lesson, booking and business terms only. How we collect, use and protect your personal data is explained in our separate Privacy Policy, available on request — it is not included on this page.

1. Driving Licence & Eyesight Requirements

• All students must hold a valid and current UK driving licence (provisional or full) before starting lessons.
• By law, you must be able to read a car number plate (in the current format) from 20 metres — roughly 5 car lengths — with glasses or contact lenses if you normally wear them. See the official GOV.UK driving eyesight rules.
• It is the student's responsibility to ensure they meet DVSA and DVLA legal requirements at all times, including eyesight standards.

2. Payments & Refund Policy

• Payments can be made directly to your AKADS instructor in cash, or online via debit/credit card through our website.
• All payments must be made in advance of lessons.
• All monies paid are transferred into the official AKADS account.

Block Booking Terms

• Block booking discounts are non-refundable.
• If a refund is agreed under special circumstances, lessons already taken will be charged at the standard hourly rate (not the discounted block rate), and any remaining balance will be refunded.
• Block bookings must be used within 6 weeks of purchase.

3. Driving Test Policy

A. Test Appointments

• Driving tests may be booked by the student or the instructor, but the student must always confirm instructor availability first — see Section 9.
• Driving tests take priority over regular lessons. Lessons may be rescheduled to accommodate a confirmed test booking.
• Students must inform their instructor of any test booking as soon as it is made, otherwise vehicle availability cannot be guaranteed.

B. Test Cancellation

• The DVSA currently requires at least 10 full working days' notice to cancel or change a car practical driving test and receive an automatic refund. Monday to Saturday count as working days; Sundays and public holidays do not.
• Theory test cancellations follow a separate DVSA rule of at least 3 full working days' notice.
• Failure to give the required notice will normally result in loss of the test fee, though the DVSA may consider a refund in genuinely unavoidable circumstances (such as illness, injury or bereavement).
• AKADS is not responsible for DVSA cancellations, delays or rule changes — official, up-to-date information is always available at gov.uk/cancel-driving-test. We will, however, assist you with rebooking and understanding the refund process where we can.

4. Health, Safety & Student Responsibility

• Students must wear suitable footwear and clothing that does not restrict safe control of the vehicle.
• Students must not attend a lesson under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or any medication that affects driving ability.
• Any condition that could affect your ability to drive safely must be disclosed to your instructor before the lesson begins.

5. Website Use — Viruses & Security

• Users must not misuse this website by knowingly introducing viruses, trojans, or other malicious or technologically harmful material.
• AKADS is not responsible for any loss or damage caused by harmful technology arising from your use of this website, or any site linked to or from it.

6. Termination of Lessons / Refusal of Service

Your instructor reserves the right to:

• Cancel or end a lesson if the student is unfit to drive (for example, due to illness or intoxication);
• Refuse entry to the vehicle if a student is wearing clothing that is dirty or unsuitable for driving;
• Withdraw the vehicle from a driving test if the student is not at test standard.

7. Lesson Cancellation Policy

• A minimum of 48 hours' notice is required to cancel or reschedule a lesson.
• Failure to provide this notice will result in a full lesson charge.
• A lesson can only be rescheduled once within the notice period.
• If your instructor needs to cancel a lesson without giving 48 hours' notice, it will be rearranged at no extra cost to you.

8. Pick-Up & Drop-Off Policy

If you need a different pick-up or drop-off location, please give at least 48 hours' notice so this can be arranged.

9. Booking Your Practical Driving Test

• Students must not book a DVSA test without first confirming instructor availability.
• The test date and time must be agreed with your instructor in advance.
• If a test is booked without this confirmation, vehicle availability cannot be guaranteed and AKADS accepts no responsibility for any resulting loss of test fee or availability.

10. Responsibility for Booking Lessons

• Students are responsible for booking their own lessons in advance.
• Instructors are not responsible for reminding students of remaining lessons or upcoming bookings.
• All bookings are handled on a first-come, first-served basis, and delays in booking may result in waiting times for availability.

11. Lesson Confirmation & Payment Policy

• Lesson bookings agreed by text or message are provisional only, until payment is received.
• A lesson is confirmed once payment has been made and cleared in the instructor's account.
• If payment is not received promptly, the instructor may offer that slot to another student.

12. Punctuality

• Students must be ready and available at the scheduled lesson time.
• Your instructor will wait up to 15 minutes.
• If you are running late, please inform your instructor as soon as possible — failure to do so may result in the lesson being charged in full.

13. Use of Photos, Videos & Testimonials

• AKADS may ask for permission to photograph or film students for genuine promotional purposes, including use on our website, social media and marketing materials.
• By agreeing to be photographed or recorded, or by voluntarily sending us content (for example, after passing your test), you confirm we may use, reproduce and publish that content for these purposes.
• Where possible, we will ask for your consent before capturing or publishing any images or video.
• You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us, and we will remove the material within a reasonable timeframe.
• Taking part is entirely voluntary and will never affect the lessons or services you receive.

14. Practical Test — Use of the Training Vehicle

Your instructor has full discretion to decline the use of the training vehicle for a practical driving test if:

• the student has not reached the safe, competent standard required for the test;
• the student is not considered to be at the required DVSA test standard;
• the student's driving is considered unsafe or potentially dangerous; or
• the student has not successfully passed a mock driving test conducted by the instructor.

A mock test is a key indicator of test readiness. If a student does not meet the required standard in a mock test, the instructor may withhold the vehicle for the real test, in the interests of safety and in line with DVSA expectations.