The AA Driving School Reviews

Name: The AA Driving School
Address: Fanum House, Basing View,, RG21 4EA
Rating: 3.96

4.0 Rating 1,038 Reviews

74 %

of reviewers recommend The AA Driving School

Company Reviews

Questions

Metrics

4.0

Based on 1,038 reviews

Shipping & Delivery
Delivery Methods	Postal Service
Customer Service
Communication Channels	Telephone, Email, Live Chat
Queries Resolved In	Under An Hour

Visit Website

Phone:

0330 100 7470

Email:

customer.services@theaa.com

Location:

Fanum House, Basing View,
RG21 4EA
Basingstoke

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The AA Driving School 5 star review on 6th June 2025

225

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

Filter: Rated 1 None 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Stars Helpful

“Do not trust this driving school. I got my money stolen as I thought I did a pass plus course but I never received the certificate so I ended up been robbed roughly £200. When I asked for a refund, they ignored me. Not recommended”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“For your sanity AVOID!! Instructors don't pitch, impossible to speak to a person. Difficult to get a refund. And the best yet... 'our system won't allow me to do a refund at the moment so you need to get back in touch to ask us again'”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Terrible and awful experience.Driver not turning up ,no reason,no notice given.Lessons cancelled just like that no reasons given no notice given. Worst of all no one to talk to. I will tell everyone I know to avoid booking lessons with BSM and sister company AA.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“They took my money upfront, the driver scheduled cancelled the lesson at the last minute and nobody will refund me. All emails ignored over the span of 6 months and no telephone contact option. I’ve been robbed of £66. Absolutely appalling service.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Had 4 lessons booked, including one booked a month in advance for my practical test. 1 last minute cancellation, 3 no shows. I missed my test as a result. AA took no responsibility, just said they cant reach the instructor, did not offer an alternative instructor, have not refunded or even replied to any of my complaints. It's been 2 months since original complaint. Still nothing. Avoid like the pox.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Awful driving instructors so rude and unpaient I was parking up outside my own property and I waited for them to move back I waited paitent until the car was back then I slowly moved forward and he horns at me when I wasn't anywhere near to the car at all but he clearly chose to me rude and asked why wouldn't I wait when I already waited and my foot was still on brake. I felt ridiculously humiliated and he said to me I should take my driving test again clearly disrespectful to the effort I have put to pass my driving how rude of him are these the type of instructors you have in company he shouldn't even be a driving instructor clearly he doesn't know himself how yo teach driving to his customers if his just spoken to me that way! Absolutely awful experience”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“I embarked on an ADI driving instructor course over three years ago, and the end result was a total disaster in my opinion partly due to the inaction of the AA when I expressed concerns about my readiness to do the part 3 test. My initial training was good, so I can’t fault my first trainer at the beginning. I was well on my way to passing he said. Then the pandemic hit, no fault of the AA of course but that obviously threw this he off kilter for a while. But then my trainer left the AA to pursue another career, and the new trainer seemed reluctant to provide more training, he just persuaded me that a mentor session would be adequate to pass the part 3 test (which is regarded as the most difficult part to pass). However, my main concern was that due to other work commitments, I was unable to have enough time to make having a ‘pink licence’ worthwhile. And so have very little opportunity to have real pupils. All throughout my training, it was known to my trainers that I would only be able to have a full license holder as the part 3 “pupil”. No training or advice was given on this in any shape or form. My part 3 was a distaster. The last mentor session seemed to suggest everything I was doing was fine. I put their advice into practice during my test and the examiner said I needed to do things very differently to pass. It was as if all the training was wrong. Don’t believe what the AA tell you about instructors having toprovide client centred training to the pupils. The AA didn’t make me the client when I expressed real concerns before the test. No help was given here. The bottom line is, if you don’t go for the pink license route, I would avoid this training like the plague. All their virtual classrooms and training is centred around non license holders and first time drivers. I hope this helps many in not making an expensive mistake, in financial, effort or time stent.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“After previously failing I decided to have a couple of sessions with a new voice, so booked via AA. I had a fairly good first double lesson with instructor Colin in Carshalton, and we agreed on a second double lesson the following week. Unfortunately, my mother had a serious stroke the day after the lesson which understandibly occupied my time. Meanwhile Colin attempted to message me about my up coming test, but, because of circumstances, I didn't answer for 24 hours . Sadly, by the time I'd got back to him he'd cancelled the lessons and the AA had emailed 'goodbye'. What a bunch of cunts.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“avoid, waited for my first lesson, day before told it had to be cancelled for a further 2 wks, tryed to get my money back was told no, i am still trying, waste of time, no one to speak to, only emails and live chat which is rubbish never again”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Where do I begin. My first instructor was verbally abusive and destroyed my confidence and when I changed instructors the new instructor scammed me out of £60. He didnt text me till the day of our lesson (despite being assigned to me 2 weeks previously) then claimed I was too far away and cancelled. Aa customer service basically told me that that was within their policy. Joke. If youre in surrey area go with Surrey driving force. More expensive but much better and my instructor Debbie was an absolute delight.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“The worst company i have ever seen. Take the money. Driver did not showed. Till now no response.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Terrible service from instructor Ed Pratt cancelled every lesson less than 1 hr before and was offended when I said I needed driving lessons from someone who doesn't keep cancelling really shocking that he wasn't embarrassed at his own unprofessionalism clearly has some issues going on in his life probably for the best he didn't teach me So thank you Mr Ed Pratt for letting me down remember you don't like it when other companies have let you down last minute. Just to add you can't talk to anyone when you have a problem it's all web chat and operater can't tell you anything as it's a franchise and instructors have no one to answer to so s$_t all over a large name like the AA now the fun begins to get my refund as they have no other instructors and I paid booking fees on top I really did try to be understanding but the instructor just clearly has no shame or value other people's time I lost a days wages and was sat waiting 3 times with a no show then a sad excuse of how frustrated he was for letting me down unbelievable don't take people's hard earned money especially in this climate to let them down with not even a sorry”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Honestly, I wish I could put 0 stars. Been with the AA from March to August, I've booked lessons every week but only actually got to drive 3 times. Yes, that's 3 lessons in 6 months. I've had multiple instructors, all cancelling lessons 30min ahead of time. I've had to take time off work or arrange work to go around these driving lessons and they kept cancelling without notice, as I get ready to get out of my home, pretty much. I've not received any compensation or refund for this. Waste your money at will with the AA. In addition to this, one of my instructors lost their license as I was about to get into a driving lesson with them. Go with the AA at your own risk. Finally, out of the 3 lessons, one of them, my instructor was 1h late and hadn't even checked where to pick me up. I need to pass my license soon as I will be moving out of the country and they've just wasted my time and put me in great difficulty. In addition, to not answering my complaints/sending me a refund.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Absolutely Awful. Their website is a nightmare. A "glitch" cancelled my lesson that I did not know about until the instructor didn't arrive. This caused a huge inconvenience as it was at 8am and far from my home. Zero compensation.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Don't go with this driving school they will just waste your time. Their drivers cancel last min and have no regard for someone who might have taken time off work etc for the lesson. They literally cancel 10mins before the lesson time without any explanation!! When you ask their customer service for refund, they run from the chat - plus there is no customer number to call either!!”

The AA Driving School 1 star review on 3rd August 2022

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Wish I could have rated zero Stars. I asked for a refund after the second lesson I had with a man called Steven Armstrong. The first lesson seemed to go okay, he was quite blunt and direct than what I was used to and he seemed to reiterate his experience incessantly so I kept schtum about any red flags I had. The second lesson was an absolute nightmare, my teacher was an incorrigible browbeater who didn’t seem to realise that it was my time and my money that was the prerogative. I was very rusty on my theory at this point, I had been let down and getting an instructor had been difficult this was not made easy by him interrogating me/ playing twenty questions about roads etc etc which I didn’t mind until he was deliberately misunderstanding me and not allowing me to get anything right, he wanted exact lingo and generally wouldn’t let up. By the second lesson I had spent considerable time on the apps he had shown me (about a week between the two lessons) but this didn’t seem to change much. The foreshadowing red flags I had seen in the first lesson we’re in full swing. He told me that in this car he is right about everything, and he brought up his 30+ yr experience as if no else knows how to drive a car. I’m a learner and I’ve had lessons with an unreliable instructor before (scheduling issue and delays were the issue there) but this guy takes the cake for being very arrogant. He pulled me up at the side of the road, he said I muttered “no” or something when he asked me to turn in the left hand lane (even though I did it?) well, we went through a heated discussion for about 10 minutes. I wasn’t about to admit to something that I didn’t remember because I was trying to focus on the road but I did end up apologise if I had and repeatedly asked to continue on with the lesson that I was paying for and said that I trust his sodding experience. This wasn’t enough for him and for the rest of the drive, he was snarky, and quite loud. There was a moment where his yelling caused me to accidentally accelerate rather than break which has never happened to me before outside of my lessons with him (I believe this is a testament to the tense environment that my teacher created). At the end of the lesson, I was pretty much and decided that I would not be getting in a car, plane or any other mode of transport with this man, ever. I had never felt so defeated and so discouraged to drive before. He told me that I needed to know what a handbrake was and decided that this would be a good lecture. I explained to him that I obviously knew what a handbrake was, it was just that I had never physically used one until the last lesson and that before it was a different form (button) that I had used one. He wanted to argue semantics on something as simple as that and it was here I told him plainly that I believed he was deliberately misunderstanding (maybe as some sort of ego thing? Couldn’t say). He revealed to me that he tells off his nephew in the same way and it was then that confirmed to me the type of person that was teaching under AA. I have no time for bullies and considering it’s my dime and my time, I wasn’t about to book another lesson. This person wanted to lecture rather than be direct, straight to the point and advise (his one purpose that I hired AA for) I brought this up and left the car. I had just had a blood test so I wasn’t feeling great that day either, I left feeling deflated but determined to get a refund. Now, onto AA for the worst customer services that I’ve seen in a while. They have an online chat that you have to queue up for about 15 minutes to use. The people there won’t give you a straight answer and you’ll often need to leave and requeue. Immediately I requested a new instructor and relayed what was essentially the worst experience driving I’ve ever had. On their messaging system they told me that Steve was apparently the only one available on driving an automatic and that Trevor had left a voicemail message, when I asked them to relay the message they said I would need to check and requeue (aka another 15-20min wait) I asked for any other form of contact other than ridiculously queuing, an email or a phone number would’ve been easier but I was told no. The voicemail offered me a spot on BSM which initially seemed like a good replacement. It was only after waiting again that I was told that it costs £42.75 per hour and that I would need to pay £70.50 upfront. For what? Placement? Either way I’m no mug especially when they were not going to take these funds that I had already placed in my AA wallet. I asked for a refund right then and there.”

The AA Driving School 1 star review on 30th July 2022

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Shocking experience , booked a 10 hour block booking, on first 2 hour lesson instructor called me at time of lesson to cancel !! a bit of notice would have been appreciated. second booking waited for instructor to turn up, rang 10 mins after waiting no reply, kept ringing, 3 hours later managed to get through only to be told she never had lesson booked even though i sent her proof on AA app of confirmation!!! AA has a great reputation, don't know how and difficult to find a spokesperson to complain...have done so on their complaints dept but that will be brushed under the carpet !!!”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“I raised my initial complaint back in April 2022. The AA were unable to provide me with consistent lessons as my instructor was always on holiday. He failed to inform me in the beginning that he has regular holidays and for at least two weeks a month he was away. I am yet to receive an outcome of my complaint.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“advertised at £24 per hour, but my 19 year old granddaughter had a 2 hour lesson one hour the instructor spent arguing with her and called her a lier, when we cancelled was told he charged £34 per hour so lost money on refund be aware.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

“Three times in the run now the driving instructor has cancelled my lessons with very little notice. Tried to contact the AA but they won’t do telephone calls and the online service won’t get me anywhere. Very frustrating- wasting time and money.”

Helpful Report

Posted 2 years ago

The AA Driving School is rated 4.0 based on 1,038 reviews