FAC expiry advice please

[rodkayak]

My FAC is due to expire tonight. I share all my firearms with my wife who also has a valid FAC. The only item not jointly held is a Ruger Black powder. I was told by the FEO that my renewal cert would be with me today. It was not.
What should I do. I was thinking of dropping off the pistol with a RFD until the cert comes through?

 

[palmer_mike]

Good idea, better to be safe than sorry. Might have to surrender your keys to the gun safe to your wife as well, lol.

 

[dodgyrog]

Demand a temporary permit NOW!
If they refuse put in a formal complaint to the Chief Constable.
Get in touch with BASC (I trust you are a member).

 

[Taff]

Do nothing and ring your feo, and ask his advice, he,s the expert

 

[smullery]

Do nothing and ring your feo, and ask his advice, he,s the expert

Wisest comment.

​Stan

 

[widows son]

Good idea, better to be safe than sorry. Might have to surrender your keys to the gun safe to your wife as well, lol.

]Demand a temporary permit NOW!
If they refuse put in a formal complaint to the Chief Constable.
Get in touch with BASC (I trust you are a member).

[/COLOR]

Do nothing and ring your feo, and ask his advice, he,s the expert

Wisest comment.

​Stan

Mmmm poor advice guys as Rod says the certificate has been issued. He is only waiting on the return of it by post, so no panic no demands and no stupid complaints by the time it was to reach the chief constable the certificate will be up for renewal again.

This type of bad advice in Scotland would get you in a world load of shjt

 

[Munty1]

Demand a temporary permit NOW!
If they refuse put in a formal complaint to the Chief Constable.
Get in touch with BASC (I trust you are a member).

About the worst thing you can do, they will remember you for all the wrong reasons, call them be nice and put the ball back in their court. If they said it has been issued, no problem, I wouldn't take any guns out till you have it in your hands.

 

[rodkayak]

I have left it with the RFD. I will email Helen Rees, head of firearms licencing, attaching the RFD receipt. I will also state that I only asked for renewal 2 weeks ago and they had warned me to allow 6 weeks, as I do not want to pressurise them. I will start to hassle after 6 weeks. The Ruger stays with the RFD until I have my FAC back

 

[Pedro]

It's very easy to advise getting shirty with the relevant firearms department or the FEO. As it turns out, the OP sent his renewal in two weeks before renewal and they advise six weeks. So being confrontational isn't right, isn't helpful and is pointless here.

As it turns out, rodkyak, I think you've chosen the right course of action.

I wonder how many people who advise getting uppity do so themselves. A good working relationship being formed between a shooter and those responsible for licencing can only be a good thing, so when there's a problem on either side, a bit of communication usually solves it. Simples.

 

[paul o']

if you have not lost your cert then a sec 7 but as its there fault and until some one tells you that you are not a fac holder carry on ! hopefully you have a copy of your old one . ring em tell them they are preventing the use of your lawfully held firearms but i bet its in the post 2nd class don't worry feller just call them or your flo if you have his mob number.

 

[Patterdale Terrier]

You should demand a Temporary Certificate from your FEO and if he/she fails to issue it, demand one from the FLD. They are duty bound to do so in these circumstances. Do not allow yourself to be in possession of the item without being in possession of the Firearms Certificate or a Temporary Certificate.

Perhaps there should be survey of all police forces, via this Forum, to see how many forces issue Temporary Certificates in these circumstances or at renewal stage. My bet is less than 10%.

 

[dodgyrog]

About the worst thing you can do, they will remember you for all the wrong reasons, call them be nice and put the ball back in their court. If they said it has been issued, no problem, I wouldn't take any guns out till you have it in your hands.

You seem to be of the opinion that the Police are there to help you and that they like you!. If you have firearms they most definitely do NOT like you and upsetting them by insisting they comply with the law cannot possibly make them dislike you any more than they do already. What it does do is make them obey the law in the same way we have to.

 

[dave 67]

Having read all the replies to this thread is it only me that noticed that the op has said that he only applied for his renewal 2 weeks before expiry. Now if it was me and I had missed the dead line I would be putting my firearms in storage with an RFD letting my firearms licencing department know keeping my head down and shutting the something up.
But maybe as the wife says I'm special

Put my renewal in just after I received the paperwork,had interview month later had my FAC and new SGC back for 3weeks,my old FAC doesn't expire for another month.
Not sure you can demand a temp cert for your own failing to get the renewal in on time,police failure to process in the correct time frame yes but this case no.

 

[dodgyrog]

I would have thought a simple renewal could reasonably be handled in two weeks if the Firearms Department did their job properly.
Were not some forces doing the renewal over the phone (Essex springs to mind, but I stand to be corrected)?
Why do people on here make excuses for the Police failing to do their job in a proper manner and in an appropriate amount of time?

 

[dave 67]

The onus is on the individual certificate holder to get their renewal in before the expiry date,if people get their reminders and put it in the to be actioned tray then forget,how are the police responsible for the last minute return.

I am not arguing the point that the police couldn't turn around a renewal in two weeks,but if we all leave it till the last minute how is that going to impact us as users of the system.

Both of the force areas I have lived in if you ring and ask about grant/renewal/variation will tell me that the guidance they have been given is to say sixty days.
Now my original grant took four weeks,variation seven days and my renewal/SGC grant took four weeks also,both with different forces.

Not making excuses for the police but they have other people to see,some departments have some part time FEO's,people go on holiday are ill,trends in the renewal cycle.
All these things will impact on the speed at which they can do things, they advise sixty days so that people will not be left in limbo,if people leave it till last minute.com then they can't winge.

All that said I don't believe the op was calling the speed at which his FLO was working into question he asked what he should do as his cert had expired,he then lodged the weapon with a dealer which is to me the best option he had.

 

[Taff]

never read such drivel, as I said earlier, speak to you're FEO, he will advise you, as to whether to lodge your guns or not, durring the bad old days in Hampshire it could take 6 mths to renew your ticket, there advice was to make sure you had lots of ammo, never was the advice to lodge your weapons and in the 30+ yrs of having a firearm I never have.

 

[Moray Outfitting]

Deliberately pointing at no one - in part from politeness and in part because the 'illustration' runs across a number of posts - we can sit secure in the knowledge that by and large we get the firearms service that we fully deserve!

 

[palmer_mike]

Deliberately pointing at no one - in part from politeness and in part because the 'illustration' runs across a number of posts - we can sit secure in the knowledge that by and large we get the firearms service that we fully deserve!

​?

 

[Irish Bob]

​ Don't panic!

 

[dave 67]

Well last bit of drivel from me then,having a firearm without a valid FAC is an absolute offence no ifs or buts and in court you will be convicted if found out.
Bet a pound to a pinch of snuff your FEO will not be stood at the side of you or anyone that gave you advice on a forum.