QXC Validity

[El Cid]

A student pilot friend of mine has just been told that he will have to do his qualifying cross country again as more than 9 months have passed since he first did it,this was the first he had heard about there being a limit and so is understandably peeved.Having just looked at the JAA fcl web site,there is no mention of a time limit on the qxc,so I would be grateful if anyone could help out here with some facts as he doesnt really want to go through all that again if he can help it.If there is indeed no limit it wont be the first time that he has had to shell out a couple of hundred quid through his school not knowing what the hell is going on!
Any help would be most appreciated.
EL Cid