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

“I didn’t have a good experience with aa instructor as he’d swear in the car at me and other road users. He made me feel uncomfortable and tensed while driving.”

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Posted 1 year ago

“Drivers don’t turn up and cancel 40mins before your lesson.”

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Posted 1 year ago

“In 7 weeks I've had 1 lesson because my instructor is constantly cancelling my lessons just minutes before there supposed to happen this is costing me a fortune in childcare and I think I'm done with trying to rearrange with him as I feel I've wasted my £79 for my first lesson as it was that long ago I've probably forgot everything by now”

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Posted 1 year ago

“I had a lesson booked on 20th June 2023 at 9am. The instructor did not show up. I called him twice, no answer. I contacted the company through chat and email and I was told to wait when I already had waited for 20 minutes. I asked for a cancellation and refund which they declined at first and eventually agreed to when I insisted I wasn't willing to take lessons from someone who missed his lesson. Not even an apology.”

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Posted 1 year ago

“The website is shockingly bad. It’s l always saying something’s gone wrong when you’ve tried to do a very basic task - like book a lesson. What’s more - the website won’t allow you to change your instructor or get a refund for unused hours automatically- you have to request these things for example through the chat function. I have tried chat a few times but I never receive a reply. It has also become increasingly difficult to get regular lessons in my area. I asked via chat to change instructor, to see if another instructor had more availability, but AA never got back to me.”

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Posted 1 year ago

“Regardless of the quality of the instructors, the school itself is extremely unreliable. They took my instructor's car just before my test, haven't provided a replacement car, and refused to issue a refund. Safe yourself a trouble, stay away from them.”

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Posted 2 years ago

“I have been learning from an instructor of AA. He was refused to put the unscheduled time to the system. I could not get my unused lessons for refund. And AA is not helping me with this under the circumstance i have the messages as evidences. The instructor also shouting at me when I was driving. I have to hire a instructor from another company to continue my study. What a shame.”

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Posted 2 years ago

“Check that the AA driving instructor you're with has completed ALL their training. Was in the very unfortunate position just now of being left high and dry mid way through lessons as instructor failed their exam and is no longer able to teach. Sad thing is up until today we were extremely happy with their teaching and their lesson organisation.”

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Posted 2 years ago

“Please book with other driving instructors outside of this “school”, I’ve read so many comments recently about AA ripping people off and wish I’d known before, I should’ve passed some time ago considering the number of lessons and would be so financially better off. 80 hours (double the average to pass), 9 months (when I needed to pass quickly for work!) failed tests and £3000 robbed off me. Confidence completely in the bin and feel no further forward. Hadn’t done certain manoeuvres for months and clearly been treated like a cash cow. Still no licence, the instructor ignored my last text message and tried to palm me off saying I should get another instructor near the test centre, some 20 mins drive away. Who would drive 20 mins, back again, another 20 mins to drop me home and back again? Now I need to find a new instructor, spend even more time and money on lessons, I didn’t even complain when his prices went up twice. It was only when speaking to friends I realised I’ve been completely duped. Feel so let down, would never use AA for anything.”

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Posted 2 years ago

“DONT recommend instructor just all of a sudden didnt have time to fit me in after taking my money for 30 plus hours , absolute joke do not recommend !!!”

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Posted 2 years ago

“no contact number, instructer ups and leaves the country, aathen ignores your complaint”

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Posted 2 years ago

“i did my lessons in hatfield with a man called peter, i had about six months with of training alot of money that i was working for, he knew that and was very lovely untill i realised ive spend six months going up and down the motor way. wasnt till my family told me he hasnt even taught me to park a month before my test and when i asked him to finally teach me to park and do mock tests he shouted at me saying in not ready i need to get more lesson, i though i was cheated by him, im a good driver who lisend to what he said but looking back all he did was waste my time and money, i spent over a thousand pound on them from my own bar job while full time at uni and i feel like at the end i was scamed. i wouldnt recomend AA and that they dont even give there drivers reviews for the pupls to see if there good is also a scam.”

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Posted 2 years ago

“Madini Nadarajah is worse instructor in uk i wver seen, she only waste your time with talking and give you confuse lessons and she take your money upfront and as long as she take the money she dont want to give you lessons keep making excuses im fully booked and when you ask for money back she shouts and rude manner im surprised with AA company with this kind of people looking only for money, hope she pays it back double in another way please dont trust this person she doesn’t know anything about driving she is only looking for money if you like your money spend for better instructor. She deserves -000 star such a tribble person i ever seen very disappointed and unhappy with AA nit recommend 👎🏻👎🏻👎🏻”

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Posted 2 years ago

“The booking topup fee just increased from £1 to £3 due to "Costs" so they basically want you to give them a months lesson money in one go. Seriously AA your lessons are expensive anyway but this is a real deal breaker. You are forced to book lessons in blocks of 2 hours so this means a weeks driving is now £73. I thought BSM were expensive. We are now having to look elsewhere.”

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Posted 2 years ago

“Abid was good, the online system is awful. Timed out too quick, paid £120 booked 2hrs, then it sucked up the remaining 2hrs & I couldn't book another lesson. After going back forth email, email links, phone etc had to log complaint to try & sort it. Carry on treating people like this, your making money doing nothing.... not on!!! Looked @ other reviews & similar complaints: book online, pay up front & take your chance...this is another BIG name company gone digital; not nice experience when ripped off like this 2 days before son sits his test want to do some extra driving as advised. SORRY,you are driving us round cyber bend.”

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Posted 2 years ago

“My daughter was taking lessons with AA but her instructor had some personal issues so couldn’t carry on. They found a new instructor who cancelled on the day of the lesson. Eventually booked a 2 hr lesson with yet another AA instructor. The instructor shouted at her 3 times within the first 10 minutes for making mistakes to the point that she got him to drop her home and came in crying! Have tried to get through to AA about this but they don’t answer the phone and say use the online chat. Online they were very unhelpful and refused a refund. So she is 18 years old, trying her best to get driving and AA have taken £60 of her money (a whole weeks money for her) and refusing to acknowledge the issue. Avoid!”

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Posted 2 years ago

“I asked to be heard out and try to understand where I was coming from. The driving instructor was awful and treated me terribly and there was a lot of issues because of it. The lesson never happened in the end and I was scammed out of £50 because of it. The instructor was very rude and blunt towards me, his reactions towards everyting was veyr harsh and told me I was probably going to fail my theory test. He was blunt and totally spoke down and belitted a potential student, but then I went ahead and actually passed my theory test with flying colours on the first attempt, so who is he to say that about someone and treat someone with such disrespect, what kind of teacher is that? I don't have much money and I had to spend a ton more, my mental health is unstable and it caused me a lot of anxiety and depression. I was trying to contact management and customer service over and over again and they were very abrupt with me and didn't care at all what I had to say. I never write bad reviews but I had to because this has really agitated and taken a massive toil on me. If you are looking for a kind driving instructor and kind customer service, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, come here.”

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Posted 2 years ago

“Had a test booked. The driving instructor cancelled the day before so not only did I not do my test I lost my money aswell. Proceeded to then ring and shout at me during the day all because he didn’t want to get up early. Didn’t do much for my confidence has he’s told me it was my own fault why I failed the first test. He’s now cancelled all my lessons,told me to find another instructor. Shouted yet again and then put the phone down. He was always late for lessons so I never had a full two hour slot.”

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Posted 2 years ago

“Booked my sons first driving lesson with The AA driving school with an instructor called Matthew Myers. My son is autistic and I’ve waited 2 years to get his driving licence due to DVLA process and delays so yesterday (Sat 4th March) was a big day for him which we had worked hard to prepare him for. He was excited and nervous about his first lesson. Matthew was due at 5pm so we were all ready and waiting for him at 16:50, shoes on, licence ready. By 5:10 he hadn’t arrived. I wasn’t worried as with traffic, roadworks etc in my experience instructors can be late but I telephoned him just to check he was on his way. No answer. I tried again, no answer. Maybe he can’t pick up I thought so I waited 5 more minutes and then text him. I got a response saying he had left as we had not arrived for the lesson. We had not arrived, we were there, at our house, ready and waiting. He said he gave people 5 minutes and then left. I tried to call him again, still no answer so I text asking him to come back as we had paid and booked him from 5pm till 7pm. He refused because he had decided after 5 minutes of waiting in the wrong place for my sons lesson to bring his other lesson forward. We asked him to come back after the lesson he had decided to bring forward, ie swap the lesson around. He refused and gave us a barrage of ressons including stating we weren’t a priority, he had other pupils with tests next week and he was driving all over Solihull, Bromsgrove, Alcester so he wouldn’t be back. Appalling first experience with the AA and appalling way to treat a new student with learning disabilities. Going to wrong place, leaving without making contact to check he was in the right place, trying to blame us for not being there. Failing to pick up calls when telephoned four times but able to respond to texts!!!!! And worst of all no apology or awareness of customer service. Cleatly this instructor had no respect for his customers or the AA brand. I would avoid at all costs”

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Posted 2 years ago

“This man ( Shana Gladmore)doesn’t deserve to be a driving instructor. Very rude and disrespectful. He was shouting at me like a kid. Telling me you will be pass you test but I passed with only 4 minors without any instructor’s help. He really dumped my spirit on that day. He took my money and didn’t refund the full amount. Shana is very unprofessional and everyone should avoid him.”

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Posted 2 years ago

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