How to spot an HGV training broker before you pay

An HGV training website can look local even when the business taking your payment will pass the course to another company. That arrangement is not automatically a scam, and an intermediary may offer useful administration. The important thing is knowing who is involved, what each party is responsible for, and the full price before you commit.

Ask one question first

“Will your own business deliver my practical training, or will another training provider do it?”

If another provider will deliver it, ask for its name, training address and contact details before paying. Ask whether your contract and any refund or rearrangement rights sit with the seller or with the school. A clear answer is more useful than a website’s claim to be “local” or “direct.”

Five things to check before you book

1. The training location. Ask for the actual yard or meeting point, not just the registered office or a town landing page. Some genuine schools work from several sites or travel to employers, so ask where your course will take place.
2. The business delivering the course. Ask who supplies the vehicle and instructor, and whether that business is the one taking payment. A subcontracted course can be legitimate, but you should know about it.
3. The written quote. Get the licence category, practical training hours or days, learner-to-instructor arrangement, vehicle, test fees, CPC modules where relevant, VAT, and any medical or theory costs in writing. Ask what a retest or extra day costs.
4. Dates and changes. Confirm what is booked now and what remains an estimate. Ask what happens if a test date moves, a vehicle is unavailable, or you need to postpone.
5. Payment and terms. Read the cancellation and refund terms before paying a deposit. Keep the quote and receipt, and check the name on the invoice against the business you expect to deal with.

Signs to pause and ask more questions

• The site has a separate page for many towns, but nobody can tell you which training site serves you.
• You are asked for a deposit before the delivering school or course details are identified.
• “All inclusive” appears without a breakdown of tests, VAT, CPC and retest costs.
• The salesperson implies a pass or job is guaranteed without written terms explaining exactly what is promised.
• The business claims to be the training school, but its written terms name a different provider without explaining the relationship.

None of these alone proves wrongdoing. They are reasons to get a clear, written answer before spending money.

Use LearnHGV’s labels carefully

LearnHGV lets you contact a listing yourself. It does not take the booking or add a booking fee. A live listing is not proof that LearnHGV has checked who delivers the training. Verified Training Provider means LearnHGV has checked that this business genuinely delivers HGV/LGV training. A provider can earn that mark even if it sometimes passes a learner to another training provider. 100% Direct Delivery is a separate mark: the provider has declared that training booked through its business is not passed to another training provider to fulfil, and LearnHGV has approved that mark. This mark requires Verified Training Provider. LearnHGV does not independently monitor every booking. Read what each label means, and how a profile shows them.

An unverified listing may still be a perfectly good school. Use the questions above for any provider, including one with a badge, because course details and terms can change.

A message you can send to a provider

Hi, I’m looking for [Cat C / C+E / other] training. Will your business deliver my practical course itself? Please confirm the training location, what the quote includes, who takes payment, and the costs and terms for a retest or rearrangement. Thanks.

Compare the written answers from two or three providers. Search training providers or choose the licence you need, then contact the listing to confirm current course details.