LIDT Intensive Driving Course Terms & Conditions
1. Who We Are
LIDT (Local Intensive Driver Training) is a booking agent that connects pupils with DVSA-approved, self-employed Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs), and manages the booking of intensive driving courses and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) theory and practical test appointments.
2. Definitions
- "You" refers to the person named on the booking form as the pupil.
- "We" or "Us" refers to the ADI providing your tuition.
- "LIDT" refers to the agency coordinating bookings, matching you to an ADI, and handling the administration.
- "ADI" means a self-employed Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency Approved Driving Instructor.
- "Working days" are Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.
3. Course Fees & What They Include
- LIDT administration fee (covers your course coordination, booking tests, and customer support).
- Tuition fee for your ADI.
- Driving test car rental.
- DVSA test fee.
- Theory test fees are not included unless stated.
- Courses are based on average learner needs; no guarantees of passing are made.
4. Booking & Payment (Please Read Carefully)
- A non-refundable deposit must be paid to LIDT at the time of booking.
- Once an instructor (ADI) is allocated to you, you must pay the remaining balance directly to the instructor within 7 days.
- If you do not pay within 7 days, your course will be paused, your instructor may be reallocated, and your deposit will be lost.
- The deposit is only refundable if LIDT is unable to match you with a suitable instructor within a reasonable timeframe, or book the test appointment associated with your course.
- All refunds will be issued to the original payment method and can take up to 10 working days to appear.
- Any unused lesson hours are lost. They are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to someone else or carried over to another course.
5. Driving Lessons
- You must hold a valid UK provisional driving licence and show it to your instructor on your first lesson. If you do not have your licence with you, the lesson will be cancelled and no refund will be given.
- You must begin your driving lessons within 6 months of booking your course — unless agreed otherwise in writing. If your course is placed on hold after starting (e.g. due to non-payment or scheduling issues), it may expire after 90 days of inactivity, subject to reinstatement fees (see Section 18).
- You and your instructor (ADI) must agree on your lesson schedule.
- Once agreed, be on time — instructors cannot extend your lesson if you arrive late.
- Missed lessons are non-refundable unless you cancel with at least 48 hours’ notice directly with your instructor.
- If you have any medical, physical, or mental health conditions that could affect your driving, you must tell us when you book. This helps us ensure you’re safe and eligible to complete the course.
- If you are suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, or any substance (including prescription medication) that may impair your ability to drive safely, your instructor has the right to cancel the lesson or refuse use of their vehicle for the driving test without refund.
- Driving under the influence is a serious safety and legal concern. If such behaviour is confirmed or repeated, your course may be terminated with immediate effect, and no refunds will be issued.
- If you damage an instructor’s car, you’re liable for the first £500 of repair costs. If repairs are under £500 you pay the actual cost; if over, your contribution is capped at £500. This does not apply to damage arising from the instructor’s/our negligence, pre-existing defects, fair wear and tear, or vandalism/theft not caused by your negligence. Payment is due within 7 days of us providing evidence of cost.
- If you commit any traffic offence during a lesson or the DVSA practical test (including driving in a bus lane, stopping in a yellow box junction, or speeding), you are solely responsible. You will be liable for any fines/penalty points, and must reimburse the instructor for any sums paid as a result. You consent to us providing your details to the relevant authority to nominate you as the driver.
- Any tolls, bridge/tunnel fees, congestion or other road-user charges incurred during any lesson or DVSA test are the candidate’s responsibility. You must pay these directly or reimburse the instructor on request.
6. Practical & Theory Driving Tests (What to Expect)
- LIDT will try to book a test that matches your preferred centre and dates, but test availability is controlled by the DVSA, so flexibility is important.
- You must be available to take your driving test on a weekday, between 07:00 and 16:30. Evening or weekend tests are rare and not guaranteed.
- Your ADI (instructor) has the right to refuse the use of their car for your test if they believe you are not ready or unsafe to take it. This is to protect their vehicle, licence, and other road users.
- Up to 4 hours of your course time may be saved and used on your test day. This includes travel, warm-up, and the test itself.
- You must bring your UK provisional driving licence to your theory and practical tests. If you forget it, your test will be cancelled and no refund will be given.
- If you fail your driving test, your course is considered complete. You will need to book and pay for additional lessons and a new test separately. LIDT is not responsible for rebooking unless you request it and pay the relevant fees.
7. Cancellations & Refunds
- You must cancel any scheduled driving lesson directly with your allocated ADI with a minimum of 48 hours’ notice.
- If less than 48 hours’ notice is given or you fail to attend a lesson, the lesson may be charged in full at the instructor’s discretion.
- Missed lessons due to lateness or non-attendance are non-refundable.
- You must provide at least 20 full working days’ notice in writing (email) to cancel or rearrange your intensive course or practical driving test.
- If less than 20 working days’ notice is given:
- The DVSA practical test fee may be lost.
- Admin fees and tuition fees will not be refunded.
- If you cancel after your course has begun or once your practical test has been booked, up to 100% of your course fee may be non-refundable, depending on how much service has been delivered.
- If LIDT cannot allocate an ADI or secure a suitable test date within a reasonable timeframe, a full refund of the deposit will be issued.
On-Hold Courses
- If your course is placed on hold (e.g. due to scheduling issues or payment delays), LIDT reserves the right to adjust your course fees in line with current prices upon resumption.
- A course may be marked expired if no progress is made or no communication is received within 6 months, resulting in forfeiture of all fees.
8. Instructor Conduct & LIDT’s Role
- All instructors (ADIs) we assign are self-employed and independent. They are responsible for your lessons, behaviour during lessons, and the condition of their car.
- By booking with LIDT, you are entering into a separate agreement directly with the instructor (ADI) for the tuition. LIDT is not part of that agreement.
- LIDT does not employ the instructors and is not responsible for any problems that occur during your lessons — including instructor behaviour, car faults or breakdowns, driving offences or accidents.
- Our role is to act as your booking agent — we match you with an available ADI, arrange your test(s), and provide support. We charge a commission for this service.
9. Liability Disclaimer
LIDT and your driving instructor (ADI) cannot be held responsible for loss, damage, or inconvenience in the following situations:
- If no legal duty is owed to you.
- If the issue was unforeseeable or could not reasonably have been predicted.
- If the problem was caused by your own actions, another person’s interference, or misuse of the service.
- If the issue was caused by events outside our control, such as bad weather (e.g. snow, ice, fog), examiner illness or strikes, or the DVSA cancelling or changing your test.
In all such cases, refunds and compensation will not be offered.
10. Use of Personal Data
We use your personal data to book your driving tests, match you with a driving instructor (ADI), and manage your course. Data may be shared with:
- The DVSA (Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency).
- Your allocated instructor (ADI).
- Trusted third-party providers (e.g. payment or software systems).
- Approved driving instructors operating under DVSA Online Business System (OBS), for the purpose of securing your DVSA test appointment.
By booking, you give us permission to act as your representative with the DVSA and to use your licence details to manage your bookings. To understand how we protect your information, please see our Privacy Policy.
11. Behaviour & Conduct
- Abuse, harassment, or threatening behaviour toward LIDT or ADIs will result in immediate cancellation without refund.
12. Complaints Procedure
- Raise complaints before your course ends, if possible.
- Contact your ADI and LIDT by email at info@lidt.co.uk with full details.
- The ADI must acknowledge within 3 working days and reply formally within 10.
- Further concerns can be escalated to the ADI Registrar at instructorconduct@dvsa.gov.uk.
13. Governing Law
These Terms and Conditions are governed by English law.
14. Optional Services
LIDT may offer optional add-on services (e.g., mock tests, theory revision tools). These will be separately priced and governed by individual terms provided at the time of booking.
15. Medical & Financial Hardship
Refund requests due to long-term medical or financial hardship must include evidence (e.g., doctor’s note). Admin fees and unrecoverable costs may still apply.
16. Course Changes
Requests to change lesson hours, location, vehicle transmission, or reassign a course to another pupil will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may incur fees of up to £100.
17. Group Companies & Data Sharing
Personal data may be shared across LIDT’s group of services — including internal booking systems, customer support platforms, and Approved Driving Instructors operating under the DVSA Online Business Service (OBS) — solely for the purpose of managing your driving test appointment and related services. All data processing is conducted in accordance with the UK GDPR and relevant data protection laws. We only share what is necessary to deliver the service you have requested, and all parties are required to handle your data securely and lawfully.
18. Reinstatement of Expired Courses
Courses that have been inactive for more than 90 days after starting or after being placed on hold may be marked as expired. Reinstatement may require a £100 administration fee, if approved.
19. OBS ADI Mock Test Requirement (if using external instructor)
If you choose to take your driving lessons with a third-party instructor (not an LIDT OBS ADI), you must still attend a mock test session with one of our OBS ADIs. This is to ensure your test readiness and DVSA compliance. The mock test will be conducted in DVSA-style conditions. Fees for this service vary by time and location.
20. Retests and Additional Lessons
If you require a second driving test or additional driving hours after completing your course, extra charges will apply. This includes DVSA retest fees, admin fee and any ADI charges for further lessons. These must be arranged and paid for separately.
21. Course Transfer Policy
Courses are strictly non-transferable. Once booked, you cannot assign your driving course, lessons, or any unused portion to another person under any circumstances.