Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Universal Driving School Ottawa Inc's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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  Universal Driving School Ottawa Inc

  1907 Baseline Road Ottawa, ON K2C 0C7

• 

  Universal Driving School Ottawa Inc

  220 Kennevale Drive Unit 303 Nepean, ON K2J 6B6

• 

  Universal Driving School Ottawa Inc

  851 Bank & Fifth Ave Ottawa, ON K1S 3W2

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:23/04/2025

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I enrolled and paid $960.50 in full around Jan 27, 2025 for the Ministry-approved BDE course, which included online theory and 12 hours of in-car instruction. I completed the online portion and 7 in-car hours, but stopped due to unprofessional and threatening behavior from the instructor. After I said Id seek legal advice, he began harassing me through texts and calls, demanding money and threatening to report a collision to my insurance and police. I have screenshots and am receiving legal aid. He also made inappropriate comments during lessons, like mentioning sugar daddies, which made me uncomfortable. Despite reaching out professionally for documentation and a refund, I was met with threats instead of resolution. I am requesting a full refund, an investigation into the instructors behavior, and reassurance that other students wont be treated this way.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:24/07/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We purchased the *** course with Universal Driving School for our son ****** in May of 2023. We were told there would be a total of 20 hours of mandatory online course work, 10 hours and 10 hours of homework which would need to be completed, at which point we would receive 10 hours of in-car ******s. Upon completing the online/homework portion, ****** attempted to arrange the in-car ******s. We were directed to contact their instructor "****", which he did. ****** did one in-car ****** with ****. A second was scheduled, but cancelled by **** moments before the ****** was to take place. Since then, we have been attempting to schedule the remainder of the ******s but have not received a response. USD then provided us with another name "****" who also has not returned messages to schedule ******s. In July of 2024 ****** went ahead and took his G2 test as we were beginning to realize we were not going to get any support from USD. He passed, obtained his G2, and is now leaving for University in August. Since he obtained his G2 in July he has still made attempts to schedule the in-car ******s, but is still not receiving responses. One July 24th, I contacted USD to request a refund for the in-car portion of the ******s, which they have refused. I am kindly asking for assistance from the BBB as I strongly feel they did not deliver the in-car ******s we were promised and paid for. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/11/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  We reached out to inquire about driving lessons for my daughter. They responded to our inquiry immediately and I paid for the driving course (in class virtual lessons + in car lessons). I paid on Sept 3, 2022
  My daughter completed the online course October 3, 2022
  After this point Universal Driving school ignored her emails, did not return her calls. I stepped in and began emailing and received no response. I finally reached someone by phone. He was rude, confusing and wouldn't clearly explain how to book the in-car lessons. Eventually he gave me the cell phone number of a driving instructor ****. My daughter tried to text him and call and received no reply. He finally called back and scheduled a lesson for November 5, 2022 (by this point it has been one month since we began trying to schedule). He called back at 10pm on November 4 and told her he needed to cancel. When she received the message and called back, she was told he no longer is available for any weekend or evening lessons and we'd have to contact the school again. He was difficult to understand and confusing.
  This experience has been very stressful for my anxious 16 year old. I no longer feel safe with my child taking lessons from this company (assuming we could even receive a reply)
  I would advise anyone to stay away from this company because it appears to be a scam taking advantage of teenagers and their parents.
  I'm seeking to get a refund and will dispute the charges and possibly file a police report for misrepresenting the services being offered.
  I'd like help in resolving this if possible and to warn other people not to trust this company.

  Business Response

  Date: 16/11/2022

  ***** ********* ******* ****** ******* **********************************
  ***** ******** *** **** **** **
  *** **** *** ******************
  ******** *** *** **** * *** ******* **** *** ******* ******** ******** ******* ******* *** ******* ******** ********* *********

   

   

  Hi there ***,

   

  It’s not our Business it’s in Quebec universal Driving School 

   

  Regards

  ****,

   
  ********* ******* ****** ****** ****
  **** ******** ***
  ******* ** *** ***
  ***** ********
  ***** ********
  ********************************
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  ********* ******* ****** *****
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  ******* ** *** ***
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  ********* ******* ****** *********
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  Customer Answer

  Date: 16/11/2022

  Hi there,

   

  The business is in Ottawa, Ontario

  ****************************

  I was able to get a partial refund by disputing the charges through ******.  I also reported the issues to the MTO Drivers Education branch.

  Thanks

  ****

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:23/09/2022

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a driving package from Universal Driving School for $1500 + hst. It included the online BDE course and 20 hours of in car lessons. Before purchasing, I emailed the school to confirm that they would have an instructor to pickup/dropoff to Osgoode (outskirts of Ottawa). When I finished the online course and asked to start the in-car lessons, it took 6 weeks for my first lesson to be booked, and then this lesson was cancelled because the instructor's car was in a collison. I was told it would be another 3 weeks. As I need to do my G2 driving test by mid Nov, I requested a refund for the driving lesson portion of the course, but would pay for the online course.
  I don't have the space to provide all the details of what happened via telephone and email exchange, but have attached all email exchanges (note: oldest emails at end of document). I was eventually told that I had 2 options. I could either meet a driver in South Keys to do my lessons (30mins away), or they would give me a partial refund but they still had to charge me for the basic driving package. The basic driving package included the BDE online course, as well as 10 hours of in car lessons. I explained that I can't get to South Keys for lessons, nor is that what we agreed to before I purchased the package. I also said that it is not fair that I should have to pay for the basic package when all I took was the online course, and they were unable to provide me with the lessons in the location we agreed. In the end, they refused to provide a refund for all the in-car lessons. I was charged almost $800 for an online course that should have cost a maximum of $200. I'm not sure what the *** can do, but the practices of this company are misleading, deceptive, and unfair. I would like the *** to help facilitate a refund from the company.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:18/07/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased 30hours online lessons, 10 hours in-car plus car for G2 road test in the Universal Driving School (851 Bank Street, Ottawa). Before i purchased the package, the staff stated that I can book an instructor to have in-car lesson weekday and weekend up to my time. However, the instructor was only available on weekday morning so I have to find another one.
  
  Sadly, I tried to contact other 2 instructors and booked an appointment with them but they didn't show up!!! They didn't answer phone calls nor messages for a few days! They are Irresponsible! And the staff stated that they are the best instructors they ever had! (I haven't had a chance to meet them!) And he told me that I had to fit with the instructors' schedule after I paid (which is opposed to before I paid). I write a letter of Compliant to the school but no one reply me! I don't know what I can do now and wanna seek for help to refund.