DSA Warning: Test Booking Rip Off Sites

Old story from 2011. DSA is now DVSA, but the warning is still valid. Go to gov.uk and book your test there.

An email from the DSA:

Unofficial driving test booking websites: advice for customers

Directgov is the only official driving test booking website.

Other websites offer driving test booking services, but might charge extra administrative fees on top of the Driving Standards Agency’s (DSA) fee. Those websites are not run by or connected to DSA or Directgov.

DSA recommends that all learner drivers book their driving test through the official booking service on Directgov by visiting direct.gov.uk/drivingtest

If you have used an unofficial website

DSA gets complaints from customers who have used unofficial booking websites. In most cases these websites are doing nothing illegal. This means that DSA’s powers to respond may be limited.

If you have used an unofficial booking website, you might have seven working days to cancel your order and get all your money back. However, this will depend on the terms and conditions of the website you used.

You can find more information about your consumer rights on Directgov. You can also use template letters to complain to businesses. Each letter includes details of the law that you want the trader to follow.

• Internet, mail order and telephone shopping
• Making a complaint – what to do first
• Create a complaint letter from a template

What DSA is doing about unofficial booking websites

DSA takes consumer protection very seriously. So, DSA is:

a) protecting its trademarks to make sure they are not:

• used to advertise unofficial booking sites in search engine results
• used as part of website addresses for unofficial booking websites

b) asking the Advertising Standards Authority to make sure unofficial booking websites are following the rules in the UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing

c) asking local Trading Standards to investigate those unofficial booking websites that appear to be misleading consumers

What DSA is doing to promote the official booking service

DSA makes improvements based on learner drivers’ feedback to promote the official booking service. For example DSA:

• made sure that the official Directgov website pages appear at the top of search engine results where possible
• created videos showing how to use the practical test booking service – videos are being developed for the theory test booking service too
• reminded learner drivers on Twitter and Facebook about using the official booking service on Directgov

What approved driving instructors (ADIs) can do

DSA is encouraging ADIs to remind their trainees to use the official booking service by visiting direct.gov.uk/drivingtest.

If ADIs run their own websites they can also link to the official booking service. The best links to put on your website are:

• direct.gov.uk/booktheorytest – Book an official DSA driving theory test
• direct.gov.uk/bookpracticaltest – Book an official DSA practical driving test

There is also a Facebook page about it.

I’ve had the proper links on here for some time on my Information Page, along with a lot of other useful stuff.

I was talking to a pupil the other day – one who had taken their theory test before coming to me – and he reckoned he’d paid £70 for his test! It costs £31 through DSA – and I charge £6.50 for a copy of Driving Test Success (DVD ROM), which is the ONLY thing you need in order to revise for the test. if you pay any more than that you’ve been had.