The AA Driving School Reviews

Name: The AA Driving School
Address: Fanum House, Basing View,, RG21 4EA
Rating: 3.95

4.0 Rating 1,033 Reviews

74 %

of reviewers recommend The AA Driving School

Company Reviews

Questions

Metrics

4.0

Based on 1,033 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

Write Your review

Tell us how The AA Driving School made you happy

Minimum 10 characters

Would you like to add a photos or videos?

Strengthen your review by uploading photos & videos.

Drag files here or browse

(Supported files: jpg, png, mpeg, ogg, mp4 & webm)

What's your name?

Leave this blank if you'd like to publish your review anonymously.

(Optional)

What's your email?

We need your email address to verify that your review is genuine

Please note that we may share your email with the company to verify your order.

The AA Driving School 5 star review on 1st June 2025

223

Anonymous

Anonymous // 01/01/2019

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

“So my son has had 4 lessons with the local AA instructor. The first 3 lessons went okay but it seemed like the driving instructor might have got out of bed on the wrong side on this last 4th session. My son started to slow down at an amber traffic light which was around 4-5 car lengths away (30mph limit he said he was doing around 25mph). The instructor said to carry on going, however given the conditions were bright, sunny, not raining, he had checked his rear view mirror noting a car was around 2 car lengths behind him, so decided to stop due to it being safe to do so without aggressive breaking needed, in his view. He then got berated by the instructor asking him what the hell he was doing? And why didn't he go through the light as directed? To which my son replied, there was enough distance for me to stop safely given. The instructor then accused him of not checking his mirrors before breaking asking what car and how far away was the car behind, to which my son replied it is a BMW and around 2 cars behind. This seemed to infuriate the instructor who then continued to argue with my son saying, "I forgot you have much more experience than I do in terms of driving." "If you're that experienced why haven't you passed your test yet?" which is blatantly insulting my son. The Instructor clearly knew he was totally unprofessional as he then tried to make a few jokes on the way home. I find this totally unacceptable and completely unprofessional from a supposedly well trusted brand name.”

Helpful Report

Posted 10 months ago

“Not a great booking experience, paid upfront for 10, but it’s been difficult to get slots when we want. Regretting that we bought multiple ones upfront. Will go elsewhere after we’ve used them.”

Helpful Report

Posted 10 months ago

“I recommend trying another school - The drivers are not all competent road users themselves. I was dangerously overtaken by one on my bicycle who has either not read highway code updates or doesn't care. (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-highway-code-8-changes-you-need-to-know-from-29-january-2022) There was also no point as there was traffic ahead and I passed him again anyway. Happy to provide licence plate and time of incident should AA care to contact me.”

Helpful Report

Posted 11 months ago

“Son was doing really well done 38 hrs driving instructor was finished by AA they then doubled the price”

Helpful Report

Posted 11 months ago

“Was informed by my instructor that he could no longer teach due to failing his own test less than a month before my exam. The AA offered no support and were extremely unprofessional and unhelpful in the matter, essentially telling me I would have to find someone local. I have ended up having to spend additional costs to learn and get experience in an unfamiliar car which is not ideal. I'd recommend anyone avoid the AA as they offer no support when things go wrong.”

Helpful Report

Posted 11 months ago

“It’s been a terrible experience, a few weeks before my practical my instructor stopped responding and cancelled our lessons, after reaching out to him multiple times- I was told he could no longer continue to teach as he was no longer “fit to”. I was told to find a new instructor with no notice. I had to cancel my practical and now won’t be able to find a test date until next year. Despite being very understanding to my instructor, he ignored all my messages asking for a fair partial refund.I made a complaint to AA which has also been ignored. They made no attempt to reach out to me. Why do they have unfit instructors who cannot commit to their students? £40 an hour for such poor service and a waste of 11 lessons. I wish I had started with Red driving School instead.”

Helpful Report

Posted 11 months ago

“Having had a disappointing experience with my first daughters independent driving instructor, we decided to take a different approach for my second daughter and go the route of a known brand, The AA, unfortunately, my daughter was landed with the appalling Colin Garland. To be specific: 1. He was late for lessons. 2. He cancelled lessons. 3. During a two hour lesson, they spent approximately one hour parked in a car park with him telling my daughter she could not park and was no good at it – Perhaps the time would have been better spent with him teaching her as he was paid to do? 4. He did not answer specific questions about road markings. 5. He refused to take her for her driving test as she was “not ready” I am pleased to say that my daughter passed her test – first time. After her test the driving examiner took me aside and explained that although she had passed there was a manoeuvre around a parked vehicle which she had never been taught, however as she drove round this obstacle both safely and legally it was not an issue and thus, she obtained a pass. I would suggest if your child is looking for a driving instructor do not go anywhere near Colin Garland.”

Helpful Report

Posted 11 months ago

“After a couple lessons with one of their instructors, my next pre paid lesson was cancelled due to illness, which is fine, but now the instructor wont reply to my messages to reschedule. The lesson was 7 weeks ago. The last message was 3 weeks ago. The AA are saying per T&Cs they're not responsible but they still feature the instructor on their website. It's a scam”

The AA Driving School 1 star review on 19th June 2024

Helpful Report

Posted 11 months ago

“The worst services and worst professionalism ever seen. They book your dates and on the day of lesson they wont show hp saying they have booked in for someone else and dates are not available.”

Helpful Report

Posted 11 months ago

“dont use them they cant even refund”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Do not choose AA!! I'm in the process of trying to get a refund after a horrible experience with an AA instructor. Customer service are awful - there's no way to call them and speak to someone. I've had to send a complaint and will probably wait days to hear back from someone. I've read so many similar reviews here - people are struggling to get refunds after bad experiences. Never again will I use AA for anything. Not only have I lost £90, but they have also taken up so much time on my day off work. Choose a different driving school!”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“I had the instucutor Karim Salih who expected me to reverse out of a road into the road behind me. whoever let him be a AA instructor should be fired as he will kill his student.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Terrible experience - do not recommend! Mark Whittet didn't turn up for my lesson in Edinburgh because he couldn't find my address. The address I gave him was correct and also available on maps / online. He was very rude on the phone and made me feel very uncomfortable when he finally arrived and hour late (I had to send him a screenshot of Google maps - a red flag for a driving instructor). He said he would charge me a 1 hour cancellation fee as apparently it was my fault he couldn't find my address. This was a horrible experience! I hope AA help with a refund or different instructor.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“I had a very disappointing experience about 11 months ago with AA driving school Basildon. Their instructor Darren wasn't at all professional! Very impatient, very patronising, made me feel nervous not only about the road but about his attitude. I had done over 12 lessons and on day in the middle of the lesson he snapped after I've done a mistake, said the lesson was over and he can't teach me anymore. This has been truly traumatic for my confidence in driving,luckily I had found the courage to start again and I found another instructor (not AA) that was absolutely the opposite of Darren and within 20 lessons I had passed my test at the Basildon test centre wich is known to not have the best pass rate. My point is, not everyone can be an expert at driving from the beginning, and the whole point of having lessons it's because you need to learn. So yes, I'd expect another attitude! Again maybe I would've left it, but after I had lessons with someone else I saw the difference, and I can compare, and I hope this feedback would be taken as it is!”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“I had my driving lessons with Zahran in Newham. Honestly, it was a waste of money. How was he teaching me? I have to change the company, and I'm happy. ”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“My son had over 20 lessons with Ronnie, the local AA instructor. He came home after every lesson with not much feedback, or progression with his driving. Lessons would be cancelled because it was raining. Surely they have to learn in all conditions? Sometimes dropped off before the hour was up. One day, he is informed this would be his last lesson, as he has another job to start. No notice whatsoever! My son is now with another instructor and coming on leaps an bounds. Funnily enough, still see Ronnie on the road giving lessons.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“!!!The most terrible school in Nottingham!!!! I had driving lessons with Darrin an АА instructor for half a year. He assured me that I was ready for the exam, but it turned out that he did not show me half of the maneuvers. Of course I failed. The second time I failed due to poor observation, although I asked the instructor 100 times about my mistakes. He again said that I don’t have them. And then he disappeared... he just didn’t come... Then I tried to book a lesson with a new instructor. He was rude. When I asked him to explain to me the difference between a manual transmission and an automatic transmission, he told me to drive. I had never driven a car with an automatic transmission before. Halfway through the lesson, the instructor said that he expected more from me... But I decided not to give up, and again booked an instructor with AA. His name was Mihai Stanescu. I had 2 lessons with him and loved them. He offered to pay him for 10 lessons in advance, assured that all this was legal, wrote me a check and I received a booking confirmation from AA. He didn’t come to the next lesson, then he didn’t come again. He didn't answer my calls. I had to write to support for several days, but I did not receive any help. Later, Mihai himself called me and cried that his wife was sick. I felt sorry for him and we agreed on other lessons, but he never came. He blocked my number. I started looking for him again through AA support, but to no avail. After 5 days he appeared in touch, and I asked for a refund of my money. Or I'll contact the police, which I did the next day. On this day, he returned only part of the money. But he still owes me over £300. Unfortunately, the police did not help me.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“They don´t answer complaints and it´s not possible to call them!”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Had a lesson booked with a trainee instructor in sheffield for an automatic lesson , did not even bother to turn up for my lesson, ignored my texted and call, now im having to request a refund a nd can only get that if the instructor confirms the lesson didnt go ahead terrible service avoid if you are in sheffield area”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Don’t book the lesson with Mr Taimoor in reading. He refused to take me to driving test in the week of exam date just two classes before and placed unfair demands on me like book two classes and I have to find another driving instructor at very short notice which resulted in unnecessary panic, pressure, and ultimately led to failure in my first attempt. I have encountered the following issues during my driving lessons with Mr. Masood: 1. Rudeness and Aggression: Mr. Masood consistently displayed rude and aggressive behavior towards me during the lessons. He would frequently raise his voice, use derogatory language, and make demeaning remarks, creating a hostile learning environment. 2. Two-Hour Classes: Mr. Masood insisted on conducting two-hour classes every time, despite my preferences and availability. This inflexible approach made it challenging for me to manage my schedule and resulted in mental and physical fatigue during the lessons. 3. Unjustified Extension of Classes: Mr. Masood made excuses to extend the number of classes required for me to complete my training. He would deliberately withhold information or provide vague explanations, leading to unnecessary delays and additional expenses. 4. Intentional Demoralization: During mock tests, Mr. Masood intentionally demoralized me by highlighting minor errors and exaggerating them into major mistakes. This approach was aimed at undermining my confidence and discouraging me from taking the driving test. 5. Magnifying Minor Errors: Instead of providing constructive feedback, Mr. Masood had a habit of magnifying minor errors and turning them into major faults. This not only distorted my perception of my progress but also created unnecessary anxiety and self-doubt. 6. Tense and Fear-Inducing Environment: Mr. Masood consistently created a tense and fear-inducing environment during the lessons and mock tests. His constant scolding, shouting, and aggressive behavior left me constantly anxious and fearful, negatively impacting my ability to focus and learn effectively. 7. Scolding for Preemptive Errors: Mr. Masood would scold me even before I made any errors during the classes. His unwarranted criticism and harsh remarks created an atmosphere of tension and fear, making it difficult for me to concentrate and learn effectively. 8. Withholding Mock Tests: Mr. Masood refused to take me for mock tests unless I booked additional classes. He would inform me just before a mock test that I needed to book two more classes, creating an unfair and manipulative situation where I was forced to spend more money before being allowed to assess my readiness for the exam.”

Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

The AA Driving School is rated 4.0 based on 1,033 reviews