A self-employed driving instructor has voiced serious concerns over Nissan’s failure to promptly repair his leased dual-control car, stating that the delay threatens his livelihood. The vehicle has been off the road for three months awaiting a spare part, with the manufacturer recently informing him that the repair will take at least another month.
In a letter to the Guardian, the instructor explained, “My livelihood as a self-employed driving instructor is under threat owing to Nissan’s failure to repair my leased dual-control car. It has been off the road awaiting a spare part for three months, and I’ve now been told it will take at least a further month to arrive.”
To continue working, he has had to hire another dual-control vehicle, incurring costs exceeding £2,500, while still paying approximately £1,500 per month on the car he cannot use. He has also borrowed over £1,000 from relatives to extend the hire, warning that once these funds are exhausted, he will be forced to stop teaching, resulting in the loss of his customers and income.
Dual controls are pedals installed on the passenger side of the car, allowing the driving instructor to take control if necessary. For manual cars, this means brake and clutch pedals; automatic dual-control cars have a brake pedal only. Although the government does not legally require dual controls, almost all instructors use them for safety and practicality.
Following intervention by the Guardian, Nissan agreed to reimburse the instructor for his expenses. The company stated, “We are sympathetic to the customer’s experience, which fell below the high standards Nissan and its dealer partners strive to deliver.”
This case highlights the challenges self-employed professionals can face when vehicle repairs are delayed, especially for specialised equipment essential to their work.
“I have had to borrow more than £1,000 from relatives to extend the hire of the dual-control vehicle. After that, I will have no remaining funds to renew the hire, and will have to stop teaching and lose my customers and my income.”