AA Driving School - The Consumers Complaint List-In the Public Domain

I was inappropriately charged for 6 lessons from my AA Driving Instructor. After being unsuccessful to resolve the issue on phone, I sent an email complaint to AA on 22nd Oct. (included with this submission and forwarded to AA).

I have still not received any formal response from AA in this regard, apart from saying that the complaint has been logged in their system with Service Request No 1-8xxxxxx.

After doing several follow ups with Ms M in the Quality Dept at AA driving school, I was told on 21st Nov that the amount for 6 lessons has been credited to my account. I didn't see the credit in the next 12 days and did further follow up on 3rd Dec. Then I was told that actually 6 'lessons' have been credited to my wifes account. I checked my wifes account and didnt find any lessons credited. On reporting this, I was told on 5th Dec that the amount itself has been credited to my wifes account.

11 days later, I still havent received anything on my account or my wife's account.

In the last two days, I have been trying desperately to get details from AA about the Credit. All that I am being told is that the amount has been credited and if I have any issues I should send my past bank statements for three months to prove that I havent received anything.

Nobody in AA Driving School is willing to give me any specific information about the credit, like what date it was made, what was the amount, what was the card number etc. At one point, I have even been told that they cant find a record of the transaction because it was manual. I find this ridiculous as no organisation in the world will make a payment without keeping a record of it.

In the current situation, I am convinced that there has actually been No Credit made to my account and the AAs demand for my Card statement is another way of harassing me, hoping that I will give up chasing them sooner or later.

I earnestly request you to advise me what I should do now.

Regards,
Yogesh Rathore

Editorial Comments

The AA Press office responded promptly inviting a telephone call from us (unfortunately, clik2complaints is not currently resourced for telephone follow-ups). This was followed by an email from AA outlining the position and the steps now taken to resolve Mr Rathore's complaint.

A refund transfer has been made this morning (18 December 2003) Click to read details.

Mr Rathore's Response - published 14 Feb 2004
My sincere thanks to click2complaints for publishing my story. I am really shocked at the way AA Driving school has been taking me for a ride for the past 3 months. e.g. I was repeatedly told on 15th and 16th Dec that the amount for SIX lessons has been transferred to my wife's account two weeks back and I should send my Credit Card Statement to prove that I didn't receive anything. From their own statement, this was a complete lie as the transfer has been made only today (I hope they are serious now).

The AA driving school is still trying to cover half the facts. As has been categorically explained in my email complaint to them, I was inappropriately charged for SIX lessons not THREE. I haven't received any response from them till date denying any of the details I mentioned in my Complaint. Moreover Ms M has told me so many times that the Credit towards my Complaint HAS BEEN processed, which essentially means credit for SIX lessons.

I sincerely hope that at least now AA Driving School owns up the UNprofessional behaviour of their Instructor, Mr W.., and start behaving more professionally themselves. I ask AA to either refund the remaining 3 lessons OR let me know which of the facts mentioned in my Complaint is not correct.

I also wonder what action AA will take against Ms M.., who has given me so much of false information and falso assurances over the past three months.

What I find even more sad is that in the response of AA, there is not even a hint of regret for the inconveniece caused to me.

I wonder what would have happened had I not contacted click2complaints. I would have sent my card statements for 3 months to prove that I never received a payment from AA (which was never made). Then, I would have continued follow up for a couple of months more. Then one fine day, I would have given up in frustration, after some more false assurances and lies.

This is surely not expected of an organisation of the stature of AA.
Quite obviously, they need to be more responsible towards the actions of their employees and more caring for their Customers.

I will appreciate any advice that helps me in taking some formal action. I don't even mind spending money for this. I just want to ensure what happened to me doesn't happen to anyone else. Many thanks,

I was very interested to read your story about the AA diving school. Last wednesday 23rd June I was due to take my driving test 12.30 came, and I was nervous, 12.45 I was still waiting! I rang my instructors mobile and got a message "he was still on holiday!" I rang, wait for it the AA driving school!, my phone number was taken it took them four hours to get back to me, by which time I had missed my test! gutted.

My test had been booked on the 7th April, I rang my instructor to inform him, and on my next lesson 14th April I told him verbally, he had already written it in his diary so this was just to comfirm. However last wednesday 23rd June he denied (to the AA driving school) any knowledge of me telling him about my test and there is no record in his diary, so therefore I must be lying!

Funny then that during my next three lessons he told me that two weeks prior to my test he would be on holiday and that I was his first test on his return to work on the 23rd June! I have had no joy talking to my instructor or the gentleman at the AA driving scool. I am now taking the matter up with DSA complaints department. Regards. Sally A Rolston ... 28 June 2004