GMP and "Extra Checks"

Sorry for the thread resurrection but just in the process of moving to GMP area so will be writing to my old force to inform them of the change of address. Are things still generally as bad with GMP with regards to renewals and variations?
 
They are slow mate not sure who you will deal with a couple are ok ,,,the rest dont ask!,,they say allow three months for renewals/applications,varis should be quicker,,,good luck ,,,,,doug
 
They are slow mate not sure who you will deal with a couple are ok ,,,the rest dont ask!,,they say allow three months for renewals/applications,varis should be quicker,,,good luck ,,,,,doug

They won't be quick, and a variation will not be quick either. At the moment they are conducting a review of ALL certificates, during which if you request a 1 4 1 they will take the opportunity to review your certificate treating it as they would a renewal or grant and will contact your referees. As at the end of January they have revoked 89 certs. as a result of the review. My 1 4 1 took 3 months.
 
Cheers - sounds depressing! Especially after coming from Thames Valley - my last 1 for 1 took a week door to door. Ah well, change of address is in their hands and will just have to make sure I do any renewal in plenty of time :-(
 
I just had a 1 for 1 through cheshire and was quite surprised i think it took 8 days, i even sent them a email saying thank you for the fast service, so quite happy with cheshire.
 
No it isn't normal. You should have asked your shooting association for advise rather than simply phoning the police.

^^^^This.

You are perfectly entitled to move house and to take your firearms with you. The onus is on you to advise your licensing team when you move of the new address and to ensure that your firearms are securely stored. You do not have to submit your old certificate if in doing so it prevents you from buying ammunition or if you need otherwise to present it. It is a good idea to take a copy of your old certificate and attach it to the letter, or scan a copy and attach it to a notification email. That is all you need do.

If you decide to send in your old certificate that doesn't stop you using your firearms or keeping them at home as you are still, lawfully certified to keep them. The FEO cannot withhold a certificate until he checks your arrangements, as the law is clear it's for you to ensure that you meet with the requirements, not for the FEO to tick a box. However, you run a risk of having a certificate revoked if your security arrangements are sub standard and the reason for revocation being "risk to public safety".

The FEO is entitled to take your firearms away if you have not implemented the conditions satisfactorily and to take or with-hold your certificate until such time as you have complied. It seems to be the done thing though that an FEO wont issue a new certificate until security arrangements have been personally checked by them but you are still doing nothing wrong if by complying with the letter of the law you continue to keep your firearms at home. Its not like your certificate is suspended or revoked and you have advised of change of address.

One thing to consider if moving to another force's area is "good reason". If your certificate "good reason" was tied to a club or land in your old area which you will no longer be using, you could end up with a partial revocation and loss of the firearm that relates to. Worth creating a checklist before a move to ensure everything is in place.
 
Last edited:
A few months ago, a mate phoned me and asked "What's the script with moving a cabinet to a new house?"
I told him to move the cabinet, secure the guns and inform GMP in writing of change of address. When he spoke to them they told him it could be 3-4 months before the FEO could get round to check security.
 
A few months ago, a mate phoned me and asked "What's the script with moving a cabinet to a new house?"
I told him to move the cabinet, secure the guns and inform GMP in writing of change of address. When he spoke to them they told him it could be 3-4 months before the FEO could get round to check security.

As it says above - security of firearms is the individuals responsibility - they will always check eventually because trust is in short supply with us FAC people. Terrorists may come and check first - apparently.
 
As it says above - security of firearms is the individuals responsibility - they will always check eventually because trust is in short supply with us FAC people. Terrorists may come and check first - apparently.

There is trust in some supply in other areas Kes. When I moved house and relocated my cabinet I informed my firearms office of the change of address and new location they were happy with the fact that as I'd fitted the cabinet before and had it inspected on grant, they were happy that I would re-install it to a similar standard and didn't need to visit.
 
Moved mine once when I did some house alterations, I emailed photos which satisfied the FEO. No need for a visit.
 
You are only obliged by law to inform your current licensing office of any change in permanent address, if you have changed location of your cabinets or upgraded your security you dont need to tell them, as has been previously stated security is your responsibility
If a your FEO decides he wants to have a look thats up to him but i see this as a waste of time and resources (like home visits for simple variation) which could be better spent reducing the backlog of grants/renewals/variations that many constabularies seem to have.

Ian.
 
Sorry for the thread resurrection but just in the process of moving to GMP area so will be writing to my old force to inform them of the change of address. Are things still generally as bad with GMP with regards to renewals and variations?

so wrote to Thames Valley this morning to let them know of my change of address. Will update the thread once I hear back from GMP. Needless to say, I'll not be returning my cert until I get a new one and will carefully check all the details when it does come.
 
so wrote to Thames Valley this morning to let them know of my change of address. Will update the thread once I hear back from GMP. Needless to say, I'll not be returning my cert until I get a new one and will carefully check all the details when it does come.

Your Thames valley issued FAC is valid until it expires wherever you live, as are the conditions, only hand it in to GMP when it either expires or you need a variation, nothing else even if requested to do so by GMP.

Ian.
 
Your Thames valley issued FAC is valid until it expires wherever you live, as are the conditions, only hand it in to GMP when it either expires or you need a variation, nothing else even if requested to do so by GMP.

Ian.

Yep, point noted. But most forces want to inspect security at the new address and issue a new cert with updated address on. Whenever I've moved in the past, the FEO has turned up to inspect security and handover a new cert at the same time. I've no issue with this as long as the conditions aren't changed etc. There's plenty of info on the BASC website.
 
so wrote to Thames Valley this morning to let them know of my change of address. Will update the thread once I hear back from GMP. Needless to say, I'll not be returning my cert until I get a new one and will carefully check all the details when it does come.

Only taken GMP 10 days to get in touch (10 days from me notifying Thames valley). They wanted to check who else at the address, and confirm firearms possessed. They're now off to vet me - which is currently taking 14 weeks!! :roll:

I had a quick chat with BASC about the vetting and apparently well within their rights to do so, but my cert is still valid until the expiry date unless they formally revoke it. I've nothing to hide through vetting so they can crack on as far as I'm concerned! Waste of tax payers money and police time, mind you! I'll obviously challenge at the end of 14 weeks if anything changes, they try to impose new conditions etc etc, otherwise just let it run its course until I get a replacement cert with my new address on it.
 
Only taken GMP 10 days to get in touch (10 days from me notifying Thames valley). They wanted to check who else at the address, and confirm firearms possessed. They're now off to vet me - which is currently taking 14 weeks!! :roll:

I had a quick chat with BASC about the vetting and apparently well within their rights to do so, but my cert is still valid until the expiry date unless they formally revoke it. I've nothing to hide through vetting so they can crack on as far as I'm concerned! Waste of tax payers money and police time, mind you! I'll obviously challenge at the end of 14 weeks if anything changes, they try to impose new conditions etc etc, otherwise just let it run its course until I get a replacement cert with my new address on it.

Sent my certificate in for renewal on 10 November was due to expire on 5th March. GMP sent me a temp certificate on 1st March which expires in July. Have no idea when I will get my new fac
 
Sent my certificate in for renewal on 10 November was due to expire on 5th March. GMP sent me a temp certificate on 1st March which expires in July. Have no idea when I will get my new fac

Have you stored your expanding ammo in with an RFD or do you still have that in possession illegally
 
Only taken GMP 10 days to get in touch (10 days from me notifying Thames valley). They wanted to check who else at the address, and confirm firearms possessed. They're now off to vet me - which is currently taking 14 weeks!! :roll:

Firearms chappy called yesterday to make an appointment, arrived this morning at 9am as planned, quick check of security, confirmed guns against cert numbers and done by ten-past. New certificate passed over and all the conditions etc remain as they were. He couldn't have been more helpful, although the overall process has taken 5 months just to get a change of address sorted...

I was chatting to him about GMP waiting times for variations, renewals etc and the full vetting review of all cert holders is still ongoing. They've got 6 staff working full time on it and funding for another 4 just approved, but he reckons 12-18 months before they get caught up and back on track. Apparently it's all down to a spot check they did of around 100 GMP certificate holders, and found a worryingly high number shouldn't be in possession of firearms, so they are now vetting every single cert holder in the force's area (apologies if this has already been stated somewhere back in the 12 pages of this thread!).

I recall many years ago that Thames Valley were in a chaotic place, lost a load of variations, couldn't keep track of sale / transfers, people ended up with the wrong guns on their certs (me included) and it took a while to get all that sorted, but they got on top of it and last 1 for 1 I put in when i was living down there was a week door to door. Fingers crossed that GMP also get sorted soon.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top