Delays with Essex Firearms Dept?

4535jacks

Well-Known Member
I am in the process of applying for the grant of an FAC and have heard rumours of significant delays in Essex. I applied for the licence in Nov 14 and had the interview two weeks ago. I have applied for my FAC to be coterminous with my SGC which is due for renewal on 16 Feb 15 and so I am concerned that if I don't get my licences back by then I will be illegally in possession of my shotguns. Also I had to hand my SGC in at the end of the interview and so can't buy cartridges at the moment.

Has anyone experienced delays dealing with Essex Police Firearms Dept?

Regards,

Gary
 
Sorry, no dealings with Essex, however have you called them? Best way to get to the bottom of what is happening, explain your situation. If they can't get your SGC renewal done before its expirey they are obliged to give you a temporary certificate to cover you.
 
There are rumours of new shotgun licences taking up to a year, have no direct personal evidence of this but it did take over 6 weeks to get a variation on FAC
 
Just sent in renewal for S/G that runs out in 04/ so ill see what happends £40 +£5 for pictures that are scanned in ?
 
Not Essex but Hampshire friend of mine has been waiting for over 4 months and has had a temp shotgun cert sent out and now thats about to run out.
You will need to ask them to send a temp cert or you will have to put your guns with your rfd.
 
I hope it doesn't take four months as I may be moving to Kent then and I don't want to have to go through the whole process again!
 
:doh: Some one at Essex has cocked up ! they sent my renewal paperwork back with a letter requesting that i use a 202 grant form not the 201 renewal that i was told to use in the letter from them requesting i fill it in on line and print it off and that the fee is now £50 not the £40 i had sent !!? , so now my cert is going to be a lot later being done than i expected , bearing in mind i'v had a S/G since it was a bit of paper with a stamp on it !!!! bring back the old guard :old:

i'v called them and been told sorry a boo boo has been made and there was no mention that they had resent out the above ! and just to resend it out again more A4 and stamps :doh:
 
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I have never problem with Essex, always very helpful and quick. Compared with many of the stories you here on this forum about licensing departments elsewhere in the country I always think we are pretty lucky in Essex. As ravanelli says, call them, speak to Wendy. Very helpful.
 
FAC and SGC came through today one week before my SGC expires so 3 months in total for the granting of a FAC and. So overall I am a happy customer.

Gary
 
There are, I bet problems with staffing as police forces are having their budgets slashed and they seek to bare things to the bone in all their departments.

I also bet that they are taking the time to contact doctors much more often, if not always nowadays and that puts them to a certain degree at the mercy of those GP's who will no doubt reply in their own sweet time.

It's also the case that with renewals, there are peaks and troughs over the 5 year cycle. If yours is due what it's quiet, it'll stand to reason that it will be done faster and vice versa.

None of the above are the fault of the applicants however and it is incumbent on licencing departments to overcome these.
 
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