Terms and Conditions of Booking for Dive Academy Courses

Medical Questionnaire

1) Students may not participate in any in-water activities without a completed medical statement. For the avoidance of doubt, this includes activities conducted in a swimming pool.

2) Medical statements completed by a student are confidential. They will be shared with staff teaching your course and PADI where required in accordance with PADI standards. They will only be disclosed to other organisations as required by law or to answer enquiries by law enforcement, medical or other statutory bodies (eg: Health and Safety Executive) in the event of an incident.

3) Where a student requires referral to a physician as a result of the medical statement, the student will need to obtain clearance from a medical doctor in order to be able to dive. Typically this would be obtained from a general practitioner, hospital consultant or doctor with a specialist knowledge of diving medicine.

GPs and consultants may charge a fee to sign the medical statement, these fees are the responsibility of the student.

4) Certain courses (eg: technical and professional courses) require clearance from a medical doctor regardless of the answers given on the medical statement. Further information is obtainable from Dive Academy staff on request.

5) Individuals should not book a course or experience prior to obtaining the relevant medical clearance. Where a booking is made and medical clearance is not received in time to commence the course or is not available at all, this will be treated as postponement / cancellation in accordance with the cancellation policy.

6) Students must be truthful in their dealings with Dive Academy, where it later comes to light that an individual has not disclosed a condition on the medical statement and is unable to commence/complete the course, this will be treated as cancellation/postponement on the day in accordance with the cancellation policy.

Other administrative documents

7) Students will be required to complete other administrative forms, including an acceptance of safe diving practices, statement of understanding and assumption of risk. These forms are available from Dive Academy in advance of booking on request.

Fitness to dive

8) Students should be fit to attend the course on the scheduled day. For the avoidance of doubt, students should not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs and should be well rested and ready to participate. Students should not participate in diving activities if ill.

9) Diving is a physical activity. If, by personal decision by the student or in the absolute discretion of the course Instructor, the student is not fit to commence or continue with the course on the scheduled day(s), the student may be asked to leave the course and this will be treated as cancellation or postponement in accordance with the cancellation policy.

Course Preparation and Progress

10) Courses typically have knowledge development (theory) segments which need to be completed by the Student in advance. Where knowledge development is required prior to the start of the course, the student agrees to complete this in advance of the course. Where the student is unable to commence the course due to non-completion of knowledge development, this will be treated as cancellation or postponement in accordance with the cancellation policy.

11) Students pay for the course, but earn the certification by meeting the course requirements. On some occasions students may not be able to complete the course within the allotted time and may require additional teaching.

Where additional teaching is required in order to pass the course, details of this will be provided by the instructor and the cost of additional sessions will be confirmed to the student by Dive Academy. The student is responsible for the payment of such additional fees prior to provision of the additional teaching. Additional teaching arranged is subject to the cancellation policy as if it were part of the original course.

12) As an alternative to additional teaching, where available, the Instructor may in their absolute discretion provide the student with an alternative certification if the student has met the requirements of the alternative certification. For example, a student may be certified as a PADI Scuba Diver instead of a PADI Open Water Diver where they have been unable to meet the requirements of PADI Open Water Diver, but have met the requirements of PADI Scuba Diver.

13) The student will accept responsibility for rental equipment (whether this is charged separately or included within course fees) provided by Dive Academy and will be required to sign for such equipment on receipt. Where rental equipment is lost or damaged during the course, the student will be responsible for repair or replacement as required in the discretion of Dive Academy.

Where the student is a certified diver it is their responsibility to check that rental equipment is in working order on receipt and before diving it. Any concern must be raised with Dive Academy staff immediately and before entering the water.

14) Where the student has failed to bring the required equipment, Dive Academy may, if available, offer rental equipment at the current rate for such rental. If rental equipment is unavailable or if the student declines to rent such equipment, the student may not be able to participate in the course and this will be treated as cancellation or postponement in accordance with the cancellation policy.

Cancellation/postponement by the student (“the cancellation policy”)

15) If you need to cancel your course or experience once booked please contact us as soon as possible.

16) As a leisure activity arranged for (a) specific date(s), the 14 day cooling-off period under the Consumer Contract Regulations does not apply to your booking.

17) Your booking is non-refundable. In case of cancellation, 100% of the total value of your booking will be charged as a cancellation fee.

18) The student may postpone the course once providing you advise us at least fourteen days in advance of the start of the course. Requests by the student to postpone within fourteen days of the start of the course will require payment of a further fee (50% of the total course fee). Postponement or no show on or after the first day of the course or non-completion by the student will be treated as cancellation in accordance with the policy above.

Cancellation/postponement by Dive Academy

19) Courses rely on minimum numbers, should these not be achieved we may ask you to move to a subsequent presentation of the course, we will do this at least seven days before the course starts.

20) In extreme circumstances (staff illness or unavailability due to emergencies) Dive Academy may need to postpone the course at less than seven days notice, in these circumstances Dive Academy will contact the student at the earliest opportunity and offer dates for a subsequent presentation.

Location and entry fees

21) Travel to course locations is not included within the cost of the course, students should assume they will need to make their own way to the course location. Dive Academy does not have capacity to transport students

22) Entry fees and/or parking fees are payable at most Open Water dive sites used by Dive Academy - these are payable by the student directly to the operator on the day.

23) Where the course includes boat dives, these are payable by the student.

The student is only responsible for their own entry fees / parking / boat dives - the cost of these for Dive Academy staff is included within the course fee.

24) Open Water dive sites are an indication only. Where indicated we endeavour to conduct training dives in the sea, but weather conditions may cause us to move the course to an inland site or another coastal location. Unless otherwise indicated within the course page, courses are conducted at sites within 70 miles of Dive Academy.

Fees and charges

25) Dive Academy does not offer credit to customers. Course fees are required to be paid in advance of delivery of the course or session. Should any fees or charges due to Dive Academy be outstanding at the completion of the course (including but not limited to fees for additional teaching, rental equipment or damage/loss of equipment), Dive Academy reserve the right to withhold certification until such fees or charges are paid in full.

26) Where Dive Academy accepts payment for a course or package of courses in instalments, these are not credit but a 'pay as you go' arrangement. The student may cancel the arrangement at any time by providing written notice to Dive Academy.

27) Upon cancellation of an instalment plan, 100% of the instalments paid to date will be charged as a cancellation fee. The student will be entitled to keep learning materials already supplied at the date of cancellation and any certificiations already processed will remain valid.

27) Students will be unable to participate in activities if any payment is overdue. If a student is unable to participate in part of a course due to non-payment of fees, or if payment is overdue by 14 days or more, this will be treated as cancellation in accordance with the cancellation policy.

Administration and jurisdiction

28) Dive Academy will keep such personal information about the Student as is required to deliver the course and subsequently to prove to any competent authority that the student has completed the course requirements and any required course documentation. The student consents to the keeping and processing of such personal information in either paper or electronic formats in the discretion of Dive Academy, and in accordance with our Privacy Policy which is available from this website or on request.

29) In the event that a student wishes to complain, in the first instance this should be addressed to the Training and Operations Director at Dive Academy, 7/8 Boundary Avenue Commerce Park, Yeovil, BA22 8UU.

30) These terms and conditions and any dispute or claim arising from them shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim.

31) Headings within these terms are for information only and do not form part of the terms. Where any term is found to be invalid or unenforceable, all other terms will remain in force.