Disposing of shotguns on my ticket that aren't mine (yet)

[nun_hunter]

I think the issue (and irritation) here is the person would have been told that their SGC was going to or had expired so moved their guns to Spandit. They would have been warned that had the ticket expired (or would expire before renewal paperwork was submitted) then it would have to be treated as an initial grant with a wait time of 12-18 months at best in Sussex at the moment.

So asking a "friend" to hold onto a few guns for a "couple of months" without telling them the whole story or offering any form of compensation or goodwill is bad form. Combined with (from what the OP has said) a lack of communication, apologies for the delay or chasing their application and keeping him informed of the likely timeframe and stages comes across as taking advantage of what was an initial kind offer to help out an acquaintance.

No different to an acquaintance asking to park their car on your drive while they sort out the VEL or an MOT on it and then abandoning it for a year and refusing to communicate with you or fobbing you off with tales of "it's all in hand and won't be much longer". All the while it's getting in your way and making your life more difficult and they have no rush to sort it out as it's not their problem!

 

[Frank Homes]

I get that I can't legally sell them now but at some point if I can't get an answer from the owner, I must be able to dispose of them.

You know the person's name, if as you say he is a solicitor you can do a search on his name which will tell you where he is practising. https://solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk/?Pro=True Write a leter to him at his business address.

 

[spandit]

You know the person's name, if as you say he is a solicitor you can do a search on his name which will tell you where he is practising. https://solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk/?Pro=True Write a leter to him at his business address.

I know where he lives so could always go round there

 

[Frank Homes]

I know where he lives so could always go round there

That would be the best solution then.

 

[nun_hunter]

That would be the best solution then.

As he isn't a friend in the true sense of the word and you don't have usual or future dealing with him it may be best to speak to him first. Depending on the outcome of the meeting possibly follow up with a letter stating the guns will be sold on "X" date and any monies recovered paid to him unless he arranges something that suits him better in the mean time.

I'm not up to speed on solicitors average earnings but I'm sure he could afford storage at an RFD if it came to it.

 

[fixedwheel]

Just had another thought. I would also inform YOUR FEO that you are trying to get these shotguns back to their owner.
You wouldn't want some spiteful so and so besmirching your reputation to your issuing FLD.
Not that an upstanding pillar of the community, such as a solicitor, would do such a thing.....

 

[Eddie P]

@spandit How were they entered onto your SGC? In column B it should read, "sold, let on hire, given or lent"
It doesn't change anything morally, but it might give said "friend" a kick up the rear to get things sorted.

That was my thought process, if he put "given" then it would be tricky to say he didn't give them.

"So Dave, you say that you didn't give this gentleman the shotguns"
"Yes"
"But you wrote on his SGC given"
"Yes"
"So did you lie on a legal document?"

 

[fixedwheel]

That was my thought process, if he put "given" then it would be tricky to say he didn't give them.

"So Dave, you say that you didn't give this gentleman the shotguns"
"Yes"
"But you wrote on his SGC given"
"Yes"
"So did you lie on a legal document?"

"ummm"
"But Dave, you are a practising solicitor, are you not?"
"Can I phone a friend?"
Could be tricky Dave, do you have one?"

 

[TringSaint]

Send a bill and give 30 days to pay else you will sell.
If on your ticket then it’s not a firearm licensing issue.

 

[potshotpat]

A "friend" (I use inverted commas because we're not really that close - our daughters used to go to school together) asked me to sign his shotguns onto my licence as his had expired. The police were happy with this and although it was a nuisance having to fit them into my cabinet, they were safe enough.

However, that was over a year ago. His last text to me was in April (and I know he's still alive). I've had no compensation from him for storing his guns (3 x AYA SxS, a 12, a 20 and a 28 bore) and I'm fed up that I can't easily access my own rifles and shotguns as they're all crammed into one cabinet when before they were spread over 2. From speaking to a former police officer (active on here, only just left the force), the police aren't processing new applications at the moment and because his expired, this is how it was treated. I texted him yesterday to ask if he still wanted the guns but have had no reply.

My local RFD would charge £2 per gun, per week (+VAT) which amounts to over £300. At what point can I legally sell (or surrender) the shotguns? I doubt they're worth a lot of money although aforementioned former police officer has expressed an interest in buying the 20 bore. I don't have any 20 or 28 bore cartridges and my local supplier doesn't seem to do them - wouldn't want to have to buy an entire case.

I think the issue (and irritation) here is the person would have been told that their SGC was going to or had expired so moved their guns to Spandit. They would have been warned that had the ticket expired (or would expire before renewal paperwork was submitted) then it would have to be treated as an initial grant with a wait time of 12-18 months at best in Sussex at the moment.

So asking a "friend" to hold onto a few guns for a "couple of months" without telling them the whole story or offering any form of compensation or goodwill is bad form. Combined with (from what the OP has said) a lack of communication, apologies for the delay or chasing their application and keeping him informed of the likely timeframe and stages comes across as taking advantage of what was an initial kind offer to help out an acquaintance.

No different to an acquaintance asking to park their car on your drive while they sort out the VEL or an MOT on it and then abandoning it for a year and refusing to communicate with you or fobbing you off with tales of "it's all in hand and won't be much longer". All the while it's getting in your way and making your life more difficult and they have no rush to sort it out as it's not their problem!

Give him a couple of weeks notice and as you say surrender or amnesty to the local Bill. Sometimes a friend in need is a pain in the ass. Albeit your out of pocket, your first loss will be you best loss.

 

[Andrewslater]

This isn't the "making friends" forum, it's for legal issues. I'm well aware I have less formal means to resolve this but wanted to know where I stood if they didn't work. If you have nothing constructive to comment, go and troll someone else

Certainly not a troll. More of a nudge in hope you might reconsider your approach.
Your concern about financial compensation and selling the guys guns probably prompted the response i made. Clearly you are ‘friends’ enough to accept his request to store the guns in the first place. Perhaps reaching out to him might be the most sensible approach before considering your legal position. If not by phone then i presume you have his address as you would of recorded it on your license when accepting the shotguns. Go and knock on his door and have a sensible chat about the situation.

From the outside looking in your hoping for justification/support to sell the guys guns and keep the money, good chance thats not the case, but its how your original post reads to me.

 

[fixedwheel]

Certainly not a troll. More of a nudge in hope you might reconsider your approach.
Your concern about financial compensation and selling the guys guns probably prompted the response i made. Clearly you are ‘friends’ enough to accept his request to store the guns in the first place. Perhaps reaching out to him might be the most sensible approach before considering your legal position. If not by phone then i presume you have his address as you would of recorded it on your license when accepting the shotguns. Go and knock on his door and have a sensible chat about the situation.

From the outside looking in your hoping for justification/support to sell the guys guns and keep the money, good chance thats not the case, but its how your original post reads to me.

@spandit said in the opening post that they weren't close friends, it was both their daughters that were friends.
I can understand why @spandit is pretty peed off at this point, now being blanked, and taken for granted for over a year, while someone gets free storage for their shotguns, when all they had to do was get the renewal in on time.
We can all look back with hindsight, and wonder why this wasn't factored in when the shotguns were transferred onto @spandit SGC, but they are where they are.
I don't see the OP wanting the money, after all no storage fee was agreed, but I can see why they want the Ayas out of their cabinet. I'm already at the point of needing another cabinet, and having to move one firearm to get at another gets old very quickly. Add that to the fact that most of us would take at least as much, and probably more, care of someone else's property means that those Ayas probably have more space than the OP's own firearms.

 

[f17ant]

I agree with the other guys, just ring him and explain you need the space now and when are his intentions of renewing his licence, you never know it might be in the process now or could end up saying get rid of them

 

[spandit]

Certainly not a troll. More of a nudge in hope you might reconsider your approach.

Sorry about my prickly reply. I can see how my post implied that but I was just a bit annoyed that he hasn't been in touch or answered my messages. On reflection, they may well be on holiday but I'll be trying the soft approach before getting all legal on him

 

[exmarksman9870]

Sell or scrap

 

[tim@tcs]

Sell or scrap

 

[bobt]

I have been storing 5 guns for a mate now for about 10 years,
he made the mistake of telling his doc he was having trouble sleeping and felt depressed over it,
his guns and licence were taken the same day.

 

[enfieldspares]

View attachment 322836

Mid Counties Blacking?

 

[tim@tcs]

Mid Counties Blacking?

No idea to be honest

 

[AlexD]

I have been storing 5 guns for a mate now for about 10 years,
he made the mistake of telling his doc he was having trouble sleeping and felt depressed over it,
his guns and licence were taken the same day.

Good to do things for your mates. That is what friends are for. In fact, it defines the word.
Does he still get to go our shooting with you, with "his" or your Estate guns? Accompanied, you can see his mood and whether he has slept, so would not be an unreasonable safety risk IMHO, though others may differ.
Life is not always smooth, and where there is a bump along the way, it is a privilege to help out if we have the opportunity.