FAC grant Thames valley help please

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Rob17

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FAC grant Thames valley questions

Hi all. I have put in for a coterminous FAC and SGC application on 29 October 2025.
I had a call from xxxxxxxx in December (the FEO) and provided the DSC 1, land permission and a frankly silly “letter of competence”
Most of which were already attached to the application form.

What’s the etiquette with chasing these up? It’s been several weeks since I submitted these things and haven’t even had a confirmation that they have been received.

I don’t want to p*ss the TVP FL dept off by badgering them but wonder how long this normally lasts.

Thanks all please help a newbie out
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I’d phone them up and ask politely how your application is progressing and when you might expect to hear further. I found them pretty quick to come round, speak to me and check my history and circumstances. Then went into detail on the cabinet and security. Took about 6 weeks after the visit for the permits to come through.

I take it you’ve had email confirmation that your application has been received? My first app was rejected the next day on grounds of there being some evidence missing - in my case a gap in my medical records in the 1980ies! After I spoke with them and got a further letter from my GP they accepted it the second time - had to do all the forms again of course. But speaking with them and being really thorough in the forms - ie types of bolts being used on the cabinet and type of wall attached to - they followed up pretty quickly after that.

Overall I’d say they weren’t encouraging of new applications and didn’t make that easy, but once they recognised I was serious and thorough they were pretty professional about it all and also reasonably quick.

Good luck with yours.
 
You can send and email and they will generally reply in a day or two. No harm in asking what stage they have go to with it.
 
Rob17 said:
FAC grant Thames valley questions

Hi all. I have put in for a coterminous FAC and SGC application on 29 October 2025.
I had a call from xxxxxxxx in December (the FEO) and provided the DSC 1, land permission and a frankly silly “letter of competence”
Most of which were already attached to the application form.

What’s the etiquette with chasing these up? It’s been several weeks since I submitted these things and haven’t even had a confirmation that they have been received.

I don’t want to p*ss the TVP FL dept off by badgering them but wonder how long this normally lasts.

Thanks all please help a newbie out
Click to expand...
I had 15 months between interview and hearing I was getting the grant. I probably hounded them every month or two with polite and firm emails and some BASC help. Nothing wrong with polite emails etc.
 
"Several weeks?" Crikey, I bet the majority of folk on here wish their renewals took several weeks. As a firearms/shotgun applicant, one of the main qualities you need is patience. Lots of it. Although many force areas are greatly improved, there's still those that can take a year, more or less to process an application for a grant. However, it's not really badgering them if you politely enquire what their timescale is. Assuming you can actually contact them.
 
It took me 65 days from application to Grant with TVP (December 2025).
I gave a call every couple of weeks to check any progress. They were always polite but didn't always manage to answer the phone (phone lines only open between 8-10am). Once an FEO is assigned it all goes pretty quick. I was really impressed with TVP.
 
ABL said:
I’d phone them up and ask politely how your application is progressing and when you might expect to hear further. I found them pretty quick to come round, speak to me and check my history and circumstances. Then went into detail on the cabinet and security. Took about 6 weeks after the visit for the permits to come through.

I take it you’ve had email confirmation that your application has been received? My first app was rejected the next day on grounds of there being some evidence missing - in my case a gap in my medical records in the 1980ies! After I spoke with them and got a further letter from my GP they accepted it the second time - had to do all the forms again of course. But speaking with them and being really thorough in the forms - ie types of bolts being used on the cabinet and type of wall attached to - they followed up pretty quickly after that.

Overall I’d say they weren’t encouraging of new applications and didn’t make that easy, but once they recognised I was serious and thorough they were pretty professional about it all and also reasonably quick.

Good luck with yours.
Click to expand...
Thanks.
Did you have to have your safe all installed before the home visit? Or do they help you pick where to put it?
Seems like a pain if they disagree and you’ve already drilled holes etc…
 
Everything was in before the visit (I had a SGC already). But as long as it's inside your main house, properly and securely attached to a brick or concrete wall, they will be fine with it
 
Rob17 said:
Thanks.
Did you have to have your safe all installed before the home visit? Or do they help you pick where to put it?
Seems like a pain if they disagree and you’ve already drilled holes etc…
Click to expand...
Exactly. So I waited until their visit to check location. In my case the room was near an external door and I wasn’t sure if they would dislike that. They were fine - as others have said an internal brick wall should be ok. I told them the make of cabinet I was getting and the fixings I would be using. All they asked for then was pictures once I’d installed it - they didn’t come back to check it.
 
I love the comments about
'phone them up' or ' pop in and see them '
"They did mine in person on the spot" etc etc

It must be a different world having actual police

Met have no FET phone number. And no office you can visit. They do reply to emails but with boilerplate COVID excuses
 
weblyish said:
I love the comments about
'phone them up' or ' pop in and see them '
"They did mine in person on the spot" etc etc

It must be a different world having actual police

Met have no FET phone number. And no office you can visit. They do reply to emails but with boilerplate COVID excuses
Click to expand...
I gather there’s a lot of variation between different forces. TV used to be one of the less helpful I’m told. But was also told they had got much better in recent years. I couldn’t fault them tbh, although the on line form system was a pain and they were initially very precious about medical records!
 
Rob17 said:
FAC grant Thames valley questions

Hi all. I have put in for a coterminous FAC and SGC application on 29 October 2025.
I had a call from xxxxxxxx in December (the FEO) and provided the DSC 1, land permission and a frankly silly “letter of competence”
Most of which were already attached to the application form.

What’s the etiquette with chasing these up? It’s been several weeks since I submitted these things and haven’t even had a confirmation that they have been received.

I don’t want to p*ss the TVP FL dept off by badgering them but wonder how long this normally lasts.

Thanks all please help a newbie out
Click to expand...
A chap I shoot with submitted his in Oct and has his ticket already. Took 3 months to process
Give them a call - when I was under TVP they were always on, if a little slow to process stuff, but I believe it has got a lot better now.
Unlike Herts which is still a complete and utter clusterf*ck when it comes to firearms licensing (even though my FEO is a great chap)
 
TringSaint said:
A chap I shoot with submitted his in Oct and has his ticket already. Took 3 months to process
Give them a call - when I was under TVP they were always on, if a little slow to process stuff, but I believe it has got a lot better now.
Unlike Herts which is still a complete and utter clusterf*ck when it comes to firearms licensing (even though my FEO is a great chap)
Click to expand...
Really? Wow ok I’ll give them a bell. They had expressed concerns about the security of my storage solution (locker in military armoury under 24/7 armed guard lol) so perhaps that is the cause of the delays
 
Hello, If the manager is still the Lady at HQ i found her very helpful, Although you could only phone between 8 and 9 am
 
Rob17 said:
Really? Wow ok I’ll give them a bell. They had expressed concerns about the security of my storage solution (locker in military armoury under 24/7 armed guard lol) so perhaps that is the cause of the delays
Click to expand...
Could well be.
Anything that is out of the norm usually knocks them broadside!!
 
My experience of late is that the police prioritise renewals and variations at the expense of new applications so we have a number of our clubs members waiting over a year and have yet to receive their FAC. They now have to perform a lot more checks including checks on 'every available database' So don't expect your FAC anytime soon. Contact them and ask but don't be surprised if you have to wait it out for an extended period.
 
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