First off, probably in the wrong section but I know most of the trainers check here regularly.
I have been looking into my own site, my nearest is well over 45 miles and an hours drive away.
I had a chat with the guys at DVSA but was not impressed with the costs. I would be expected to cover every single cost of running the place, have to book 4 tests per day, even if not used, and not get a single penny back from them. To say I was shocked is a bit of an understatement.
We also discussed them shutting down the “local” centre and was told they were replacing it with a privately owned and run site. Can’t see that happening anytime soon.
Anyway, I am interested to know if you guys get some of the fee refunded/passed on/etc. Obviously you don’t need to go into detail but just something I could use as ammunition to try and get a better deal, cos as it stands, I will actually save money driving there and back 
bobdebouwer:
First off, probably in the wrong section but I know most of the trainers check here regularly.
Hi bobdebouwer,
You’ve posted in exactly the right section, and I’m fairly sure that somebody will be along to give you some good advice.
Hi
I had the first customer site in the UK so I probably understand the rules pretty well!
You are correct in your statements. DSVA pay nothing whatsoever towards the running of the site. One of the additional costs is the fact that you need to provide an office which has to be ventilated, lit, heated etc. And, of course, tea coffee etc etc. They also expect their own toilet facilities.
The costs are huge but the convenience is, in my case, the main reason for running it.
If you are concerned about booking 4 tests a day, maybe you should consider a consortium with another trainer to make it viable.
Feel free to contact me privately if I can advise further - which I’m happy to do.
Pete S 
As I’ve experienced Pete’s site twice (one for each class) I guess I have an opinion on this! 
Pete’s old site was good, but if the DVSA are looking to make a model where tests are conducted as the trainers site, I see this as the way forward…
As a candidate I appreciated the fact that I did my reverse exactly where I practiced it, and was already familiar with my surroundings on the test.
As such I think it’s a good move to phase out DVSA test sites, whether that’s generally good or bad for trainers I don’t know…
Not great for the smaller trainers I would imagine if the dvsa want 4 tests a day out of the venues.
I think they expect a little much here. if they are shedding the massive cost of their property portfolio a little more creative thinking would be sensible, an examiner at ■■ site 2 days a week for example.
This plan will force out smaller operators
I believe DVSA will deploy an examiner to a site for as little as 1 day a week. But it makes no sense to them to have only 2 or 3 tests at a customer site.
The answer for the small operator is to get together with others and form a consortium to operate a test centre. The difficulty is that IME they wont talk to each other sensibly.
DVSA will continue to offer tests to the small operator so all is not lost.
Pete
Thanks for the advice Pete.
I’ve been without decent internet for the last week. The joys of living out in the country.
I was quite prepared for pretty much everything we discussed except the fee situation. When they shipped out the MOT side to private companies, 2/3’s go to the company operating the site and the rest to the DVSA.
As a very small venture consisting of a single car and trailer and a single drawbar lorry, I couldn’t justify the costs involved in running a centre at the moment. I would rather pay the extra fuel and use their site. Yes, it would be very convenient and would save fuel but would cost a lot more to run, insure etc. Even getting back half the fee would go some way to justifying it.
I’ll keep looking, as I have been in contact with a company that struggles to get tests in their local area and have to travel upto 110 miles to have tests conducted. They have stated that if they could get consistent tests at my site, then they would prefer to use mine.
I do get along with most of the instructors and owners of the training companies around the areas I use. I do get along especially well with the owner of the company I trained with. The main reason, I believe, is that I am no real threat to them at this stage.
I may be wrong, Pete would know better but I thought customer sites could choose to accept external bookings or keep it just in house. If the site was open for anyone to book slots you did get paid a small fee.
This is correct but it relies on other trainers wanting to use your site.
You would then need to provide waiting facilities for the accompanying drivers and this, in itself, can cause all sorts of problems.
The DVSA would also have to accept that the site is one they would want to use for other trainers’ tests. You cannot sell tests to other trainers directly.
Pete
Yeah, I was told that if they wanted to book, then they would need to book directly with the DVSA. I was asked at the time if I wanted a to use it as a customer site or as a “replacement”. I said customer site, as that gives me the option to allow selected people to use it, rather than anyone.
As far as facilities, I had originally looked at the bare minimum. A portable site office/kitchen/toilet block.
My whole thinking on this wasn’t to make/save money but to make it cost effective. I rent an airfield already (well 3 acres of one) but that is a distance away.
I just can’t believe they still charge the full test fee(x4), without ANY overheads at all. This is my one and only grumble about it. You guys are saving them money and it’s not small money either.
Well, the other thing was the owners of the land wanting ME to payout to tarmac/concrete the area and still charge me £1k a month
These issues are the growing pains that I well recall from many years ago.
DVSA do have it all their own way with this one. For me it was to do with customer service primarily and convenience of operation. But the finances stack up with a larger fleet because of the mileage saved in all the vehicles traveling backwards and forwards to the DVSA centre.
BTW, you would not be able to select who used your site. It’s either “open” in which case anyone can book via DVSA or “closed” in which case it is only your customers who can use the site.
Said it before, but consider a consortium. Seems to be the way forward in your particular case.
Happy to help further if you wish.
All the best, Pete