Booking & Cancellation Policy

Policy Overview

All terms defined in the applicable terms and conditions of DriveSafe Mate Driving School have the same meaning in this Booking & Cancellation Policy unless the context requires otherwise.

Application

This Booking & Cancellation Policy applies to each learner, customer and instructor using the services of DriveSafe Mate Driving School and forms part of the business’s broader terms and conditions.

Booking Prices

1. The price for a booking is set by the driving instructor or the business and may be based on a number of factors including, but not limited to, the learner’s pick-up location, the vehicle transmission type and the particular instructor selected.
2. All booking prices and any discount bands referred to in this policy are based on one-hour bookings unless otherwise stated.
3. A learner will be notified of the total price per booking and must confirm the total price for each transaction before payment is processed.

Discount Bands

4. If a learner makes payment for the equivalent of multiple booking hours in the same transaction, they may receive a discount according to the following discount bands, calculated from the booking price referred to in clause 1:
   • Equivalent to 0–5 booking hours’ worth of credits = 0% discount;
   • Equivalent to 6–9 booking hours’ worth of credits = 5% discount per booking hour credit;
   • Equivalent to 10 or more booking hours’ worth of credits = 10% discount per booking hour credit.
5. Discount bands apply to the price per one-hour booking as allocated at the time of purchase. This price may change for subsequent bookings in accordance with clause 1.
6. Discount bands are awarded as non-refundable bonus credit added to the learner’s DriveSafe Mate Driving School wallet or booking credit balance.
7. The bonus credit will be consumed at the time of booking in proportion to the discount received. For example, if a learner:
   • pays for the equivalent of 10 booking hours at $100 per hour in one transaction and receives a 10% discount in the form of bonus credit, they pay $900 and receive $100 bonus credit; and
   • books a lesson at $100 per hour, $10 of the bonus credit, being 10%, will be consumed.
8. Discount bands apply only where a learner pays for 6 or more booking hours in one transaction and are not cumulative across multiple transactions. For example, if a learner:
   • pays for the equivalent of 8 booking hours in one transaction, all of those booking hours will be at a 5% discount; and
   • later pays for the equivalent of another 8 booking hours in a separate transaction, a 10% discount will not automatically apply to that later transaction.
9. Discount bands apply irrespective of whether a learner changes instructors, unless otherwise stated by the business.
10. If a learner is granted a refund, the refunded amount will be based on the remaining consumed and unused credit balance rather than the original promotional value. For example, if a learner:
    • pays for the equivalent of 10 booking hours at $100 per hour in one transaction and receives a 10% discount in the form of bonus credit, paying $900 and receiving $100 bonus credit; and
    • completes 5 booking hours at $100 before being granted a refund for the remaining balance, the learner will receive a refund of $450 only, because they are not entitled to the remaining bonus credit component.
11. From time to time, DriveSafe Mate Driving School may offer other promotions, including discounted lesson packages, to which the above discount bands may not apply.

Cancellations and Rescheduling

12. Any cancellation made by a learner within 24 hours of the scheduled booking start time is considered a late cancellation.
13. In the event of a late cancellation, the driving instructor or business may do either of the following:
    • require that the learner pay the total cost of the booking; or
    • reverse the payment entirely and allow the learner to reschedule the booking without charge.
14. Where a late cancellation fee is applied, the instructor or business may retain the applicable lesson fee. If no alternate decision is made within 30 days, the original booking charge may remain applied.

Lesson Payment Validation

15. Instructor payment may be processed at the end time of each booking on the basis that the booking was completed unless the learner or instructor reports an issue.
16. If a completed booking is reversed by the instructor or by DriveSafe Mate Driving School within 30 days of the booking end time, the full booking payment may remain as a credit for the learner to use for future bookings, subject to the applicable terms and conditions.

Refunds for Completed or Validated Bookings

17. From time to time, DriveSafe Mate Driving School may receive requests to refund payments made for completed or validated bookings.
18. Any payment disputes raised through a payment provider after service delivery may result in debt recovery action and may be subject to additional fees where permitted by law.
19. DriveSafe Mate Driving School will investigate all refund requests and, at its sole discretion and subject to applicable law, determine whether a refund should be provided.
20. Subject to the applicable terms and conditions and any consumer rights that cannot be excluded, DriveSafe Mate Driving School may provide a full or partial refund in circumstances including where:
    • the payment was made as a result of fraudulent activity or was otherwise unauthorised by the cardholder;
    • the instructor failed to reverse a booking payment for a lesson the learner did not receive due to the fault of the instructor; or
    • a complaint is received and it is determined that the instructor materially breached the applicable terms and conditions.