Driving test is scrapped after car tax blunder
TEENAGER Tiffany Key was banned from taking her driving test – because her instructor's car did not have an up-to-date tax disc.
The 17-year-old had paid for months of lessons with RED Driving School and was all set for her big day.
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ANGRY: Jayne Key says the firm's response is "not good enough".
But when Tiffany arrived at Cobridge test centre she was turned away after an examiner spotted the tax disc problem.
Student Tiffany, of Chepstow Place, Longton, was not offered a refund and had to book a new test costing £67.
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Now RED Driving School has apologised after being contacted by The Sentinel.
The business, which runs classes across the country and has an office in Stoke-on-Trent, has also pledged to pay for a new test as well as three hours of free lessons for Tiffany on the day of her next test.
Tiffany, a performing arts student at Stoke-on-Trent College, said: "I was so nervous ahead of my test that I didn't sleep the night before.
"I had my driving lesson first and when I got to the centre the examiner went through all the safety questions.
"It was then when I got in the car that he said 'I'm sorry but you're not going to be able to take your test today because the tax is out of date'.
"I didn't really know what to do. I just tried to laugh. I couldn't believe it."
Tiffany had wanted to pass her test so she could share some of the driving duties to help care for her nine-year-old disabled brother Cameron.
Mum Jayne said: "The company has been on the phone and apologised, but that's not good enough."
Dad Phill said: "I remember my driving test and remember being really worked up and nervous.
"I was in hospital with Cameron when I had a call explaining what had happened, I couldn't believe it."
The driving school said the mix-up occurred after a new tax disc was not taken to the test centre in time.
A RED Driving School spokesman said: "At the time of the test, we issued a tax disc which unfortunately was not collected by the driving instructor in advance of Tiffany Key's test.
"The car had, however, been taxed prior to the test and a seven-day grace period is standard to allow for the new tax disc to be posted.
"It is down to the examiner's discretion whether a vehicle is suitable to be driven.
"As a way of resolving this incident and apologising to Miss Key for any inconvenience, we are happy to pay for a new test to take place, as well as offering three hours of free tuition to Miss Key on the day of the test."
Comments
by Refined Beauty IPL & Laser Treatments
Wednesday, October 24 2012, 11:37PM
“The instructor should not have taken their pupil for test if they knew their tax disc was out of date, what a plonker!!!!”
by DucatiJason
Wednesday, October 24 2012, 6:09PM
“sausagelord, if you have kids wanting to learn drive and were going to choose RED would you want to know about this story?
So you would have gone though all the hassle of making a court claim instead of picking the phone up and ringing the Sentinel? so all in all its worked for them.
Plus why are you bothered by this tifling matter.?”
by DucatiJason
Wednesday, October 24 2012, 6:07PM
“sausagelord, if you have kids wanting to learn drive and were going to choose RED would you want to know about this story?
So you would have gone though all the hassle of making a court claim instead of picking the phone up and ringing the Sentinel? so all in all its worked for them.
Plus why are you bothered by this tifling matter.?”
by bobble1956
Wednesday, October 24 2012, 3:34PM
“Once again sausagelord you have missed the salient points. Read my post again”
by sausagelord
Wednesday, October 24 2012, 1:12PM
“bobble: I did follow the comments. That's what "normal" folk would have done - give them time to pay and file a small claim once they decided not to play ball. From what I can see, filing a small claim should have been a mere formality, and they would have reclaimed the £25 it would have cost to file once they were victorious.
I don't deny that contacting Sentnul duck has helped. "The squeaky wheel gets the grease", as they say. Although I just think it's petty running to the paper over such a trifling matter.”
by bobble1956
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 8:12PM
“sausagelord please try to follow the comments. The test should have taken place on 4th September and Red have been contacted numerous times in the interim on each occasion refusing to refund the test fee. Going to court has to be done according to certain rules and regulations including the Civil Procedure Rules which in part state that all other avenues have been explored prior to issuing proceedings. Whatever your views on the family may be the simple and undeniable fact is that they paid for something that they didn't receive and, whoever anyone thinks is to blame it is not them.”
by sausagelord
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 6:18PM
“"Ask yourselves a question what would any of you done in this same situation"
Written letter or e-mail asking for recompense within 14 days, followed up by small claims court action if that had no effect?
Or is that too sensible?”
by bobble1956
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 3:48PM
“There are a lot of ill informed comments on here. Red Driving School refused to refund the test fee and the family did not ask for any further lessons to be paid for this was offered by Red themselves. There is indeed a five (not seven) day period of grace for a car tax disc to arrive but for the purposes of a driving test there has to be proof supplied that the tax has been applied for in this case there was no proof. The Driving Standards Agency have no jurisdiction in this matter and were approached in the beginning over six weeks ago. The instructor actually pays a franchise fee to Red Driving School which includes an element for the car tax and so the instructor is not responsible. The initial lessons were booked directly with the driving school and not the instructor meaning that in law the contract is with them and so ultimately they are responsible. Going to the Sentinel was not what they wanted to do but despite many calls to Red Driving School to come to an amicable agreement i.e the refund of the test fee there were few options left other than issue proceedings through the court. Had Red done the correct thing on September 4th then this would not be news now. Ask yourselves a question what would any of you done in this same situation”
by sausagelord
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 1:00PM
“Juzzah: "I agree though there was really no need to go to the papers with this!!"
I disagree. I think everyone with a minor complaint against a company should contact the Sentinel, I think it would be hilarious. The other day I went to a cafe and ordered a "meal deal" and they overcharged me by 38 pence!! I can't wait to get my picture in the sentnul pulling a face like a sullen trout and then receive my compo for stress and anxiety caused by the whole affair.”
by Juzzah
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 12:13PM
“Two things, has anybody read this as it does state that RED are paying for the re-test as well as 3 hours of lessons, secondly the car was taxed just the new disc had not been put in the window. Surely if the examiner had have asked all this could have been avoided.
I agree though there was really no need to go to the papers with this!!”