Has the FAC Grant / Renewal Process Changed of Late?

[big bang]

Having spoken to a number of people that have recently renewed, or have applications for FAC grant / renewal pending with their licensing departments, I wondered what the wider consensus is RE the current process and whether it has changed of late, particularly since the fee increases.

A local RFD reckons that, in general, the waiting times have been elongated because of a surge in the number applications caused by people wanting to renew at the old prices (understandably), leading to a back log. The irony being that the fee increase was meant to help fund under resourced licensing departments, making the system more efficient (at least in part). Perhaps this is a case of having to break a few eggs to make an omelette?

I've also heard (and this is just hearsay) of people getting more interview questions that they felt were designed to catch them out. Any experience of this among the community, or is the feeling that FEO's are asking the same kind of questions that have always been asked when determining whether someone is suited to the responsibility?

I fully appreciate that all of this is all highly dependent on location but interesting none the less.

 

[Stevie/P]

I’d doubt it as the fee increase amount was only announced about a month or so before coming into force so as not to panic people rushing to get their applications in as mine was up for renewal end of January 25 I submitted my application well in advance so renewal for me was at the old fee was not my intention to apply early just following advice for firearms dpt
So if the application went in before the 5th February 25 the old fee applies.
I doubt the fee increase will put many people of applying it will some but not many imo. Just to add I had a video interview it was a breeze and worked very well indeed.
Well done Leicestershire FLO

 

[Canine]

I’m sure there were a few people applying to try and avoid the new fee increase - I know a few who done this. The fee increase alone will not solve any issues in the short term as the licensing departments won’t be able to suddenly take on more staff overnight. But it might help in the long term…

Regarding the FEO questions - You ask 100 license holders you’ll get 100 answers on how they perceive the questions asked. My attitude is that they can ask me all the questions under the sun - If I’ve got no issues then I shouldn’t have a problem answering them. Personally I’d rather them ask a lot of questions if that in some way helps to prevent another shooting, because if that happens we are only going to get further restrictions.

Just my two-penneth on things

 

[Stalker62]

I've also heard (and this is just hearsay) of people getting more interview questions that they felt were designed to catch them out. Any experience of this among the community, or is the feeling that FEO's are asking the same kind of questions that have always been asked when determining whether someone is suited to the responsibility?

Having not long undergone my FAC renewal and notwithstanding the comments of @Canine:-

Regarding the FEO questions - You ask 100 license holders you’ll get 100 answers on how they perceive the questions asked.

I cannot recall the last time I had an FEO do a 'home visit; (it must have happened at some stage in the dim and distant past?).

This time I had a home visit. She was here for nearly two hours. She had done her 'homework'. It was forensic. She had spoken to the Secretary of my Home Office Clubs, my referees, 'my' Farmer for whom I Keeper, (he was not even on my paperwork). She was thorough.

The FEO even interviewed my wife. They also wanted details of everyone who had access to my wee hovel. Just exhausting.

As a member of the public, this is how I want my FEOs to perform.

As an intensely private man, (who happens to shoot), I found it intrusive, impertinent, and yet (annoyingly), important.

The whole FAC/SGC licensing process is a spiteful, clumsy and hugely vexing experience - not helped by a not fit for purpose on-line application (but that is a whole other thread).

If there is a God (there isn't) I will be dead by the next renewal, and so spared the torment of a second round of the same.

 

[Liveonce]

google project titanium firearms law, lots of extra questions now asked.

 

[Shootgun]

I renewed last year and some of the questions to me and my mrs were plain stupid ( in her opinion anyway)

 

[big bang]

I’m sure there were a few people applying to try and avoid the new fee increase - I know a few who done this. The fee increase alone will not solve any issues in the short term as the licensing departments won’t be able to suddenly take on more staff overnight. But it might help in the long term…

Regarding the FEO questions - You ask 100 license holders you’ll get 100 answers on how they perceive the questions asked. My attitude is that they can ask me all the questions under the sun - If I’ve got no issues then I shouldn’t have a problem answering them. Personally I’d rather them ask a lot of questions if that in some way helps to prevent another shooting, because if that happens we are only going to get further restrictions.

Just my two-penneth on things

All fair points. Lets hope the extra funding gets to the right places eventually. I fully agree that we only want suitable people to get a license. Obviously nobody wants to see anyone get hurt in any way, let alone another atrocity, so it's imperative that the system is robust and fit for purpose.

It's a tricky one because we do need new people (the right sort) to get involved in the 'country pursuits', otherwise it will all be phased out anyway (fishing included), so I hope that good, safe, responsible people aren't being declined the opportunity because they've been caught out by a curve ball, that might be very obvious to the more experienced.

 

[long_range_rob]

Yep Surrey/Sussex have got worse. My poor FEO has the workload previously covered by five FEO’s. I have less than a week left on my 8 week extension, my son is over a year into his initial grant, no contact information for the office just a web based form and when I finally got hold of my FEO directly he was very helpful but had no knowledge of my renewal. When this is sorted I am going to write to the Chief Constable, the PCC and my MP.

The current situation is untenable

 

[big bang]

Yep Surrey/Sussex have got worse. My poor FEO has the workload previously covered by five FEO’s. I have less than a week left on my 8 week extension, my son is over a year into his initial grant, no contact information for the office just a web based form and when I finally got hold of my FEO directly he was very helpful but had no knowledge of my renewal. When this is sorted I am going to write to the Chief Constable, the PCC and my MP.

The current situation is untenable

wow! that's not what we want to hear. I assume that Sussex / Surrey target turnaround times are not quoted as 12+ months.

 

[long_range_rob]

wow! that's not what we want to hear. I assume that Sussex / Surrey target turnaround times are not quoted as 12+ months.

FEO say initial grants are running at 15 months plus

 

[long_range_rob]

Oh and BTW my club has had to put all the rifles in storage due to slow renewal.

 

[Liveonce]

Oh and BTW my club has had to put all the rifles in storage due to slow renewal.

If the club submitted the application in good time, i would be invoicing the Chief Constable for the storage fees.
The delays are not acceptable especially now we have full cost recovery of the application fees.

 

[long_range_rob]

I have a call with my FEO tomorrow morning as an “Urgent review” so either I’m in the or he’s established the office have erred, fingers crossed it’s the latter

 

[8x57]

Oh and BTW my club has had to put all the rifles in storage due to slow renewal.

How is that impacting the club?

 

[big bang]

I have a call with my FEO tomorrow morning as an “Urgent review” so either I’m in the or he’s established the office have erred, fingers crossed it’s the latter

Hope that all goes well today

 

[Haggis Hunter]

My FAC/SGC/AWC are due for renewal with Police Scotland in early September. I was contacted by the FEO about 14 weeks before this and filled out all the forms and sorted the medical side of things ASAP, probably 12 weeks before renewal date (I chased the doctor to ensure things were speedy). I chatted to the FEO within a couple of weeks of me sorting this out (the questioning was a bit more involved than I recall having 5 years ago, but not onerous or aggressive, or unfair/sneaky for that matter). My new certs popped through the letter box last week, about a month before my olds ones are due to runout.
I had everything renewed as before and added some further guns as well (I just couldn't face the perceived hassle of variations in recent times, so saved up my requests for the renewal process).
I'm happy with the way the whole process has gone. I was open and honest with the police and they were likewise with me, a degree of discussion/negotiation was had re my additional gun requests.
As an aside, I'm a referee for a good friend who is also renewing his SGC/FAC and I was recently sent a list of questions to answer from his Police Scotland FEO. These were definitely more involved, personal and searching than previous referee questions I have been asked, but again they were not unfair or trick questions and I was happy/able to answer all of them fully, knowing my friend as well as I do.
Clearly licencing 'standards' vary across the UK, but my experience, over many years, has been overwhelmingly positive. For that I consider myself very lucky.
hh

 

[Heym SR20]

My FAC/SGC/AWC are due for renewal with Police Scotland in early September. I was contacted by the FEO about 14 weeks before this and filled out all the forms and sorted the medical side of things ASAP, probably 12 weeks before renewal date (I chased the doctor to ensure things were speedy). I chatted to the FEO within a couple of weeks of me sorting this out (the questioning was a bit more involved than I recall having 5 years ago, but not onerous or aggressive, or unfair/sneaky for that matter). My new certs popped through the letter box last week, about a month before my olds ones are due to runout.
I had everything renewed as before and added some further guns as well (I just couldn't face the perceived hassle of variations in recent times, so saved up my requests for the renewal process).
I'm happy with the way the whole process has gone. I was open and honest with the police and they were likewise with me, a degree of discussion/negotiation was had re my additional gun requests.
As an aside, I'm a referee for a good friend who is also renewing his SGC/FAC and I was recently sent a list of questions to answer from his Police Scotland FEO. These were definitely more involved, personal and searching than previous referee questions I have been asked, but again they were not unfair or trick questions and I was happy/able to answer all of them fully, knowing my friend as well as I do.
Clearly licencing 'standards' vary across the UK, but my experience, over many years, has been overwhelmingly positive. For that I consider myself very lucky.
hh

I had a similarly good experience with Police Scotland.

 

[big bang]

My FAC/SGC/AWC are due for renewal with Police Scotland in early September. I was contacted by the FEO about 14 weeks before this and filled out all the forms and sorted the medical side of things ASAP, probably 12 weeks before renewal date (I chased the doctor to ensure things were speedy). I chatted to the FEO within a couple of weeks of me sorting this out (the questioning was a bit more involved than I recall having 5 years ago, but not onerous or aggressive, or unfair/sneaky for that matter). My new certs popped through the letter box last week, about a month before my olds ones are due to runout.
I had everything renewed as before and added some further guns as well (I just couldn't face the perceived hassle of variations in recent times, so saved up my requests for the renewal process).
I'm happy with the way the whole process has gone. I was open and honest with the police and they were likewise with me, a degree of discussion/negotiation was had re my additional gun requests.
As an aside, I'm a referee for a good friend who is also renewing his SGC/FAC and I was recently sent a list of questions to answer from his Police Scotland FEO. These were definitely more involved, personal and searching than previous referee questions I have been asked, but again they were not unfair or trick questions and I was happy/able to answer all of them fully, knowing my friend as well as I do.
Clearly licencing 'standards' vary across the UK, but my experience, over many years, has been overwhelmingly positive. For that I consider myself very lucky.
hh

That’s great to hear. My force is Essex and they currently have a great rep. I’ll update the thread once my current process is completed. Hoping the license fee situation hasn’t changed things too much

 

[JTO]

A couple of renewals ago, it was several months after my certificates had run out, that I was issued with 6-month temporary certificates. I had applied in good time, so I didn't put everything in store.

 

[Stalker62]

...I was issued with 6-month temporary certificates.

A Section 7 Permit.

Issued under the Firearms Act, for those without a Certificate.
Valid for a period of less than 6 months.


Why does that cause my OCD senses to tingle?...