It’s not really free though is it, it’s part of the approval which attracts a fee.
Pay more for FAC to get better service?
- Thread starter Steve2_1
- Start date
simgre
Well-Known Member
That’s the “price list” for the authorisations and documents as issued from the Home Office. In this list, “club” refers to the HO approval.
The club FAC and subsequent variations as administered by county/metropolitan forces are free of charge and have been since fees were legislated in the Principal Act of 1968.
but that is only a one off fee if nothing changes unlike the five year FAC.
I realise that, See my post above.
I have just got back from an all inclusive holiday, took a while for the kids to understand the food and drink wasn’t free, it had already been paid for.
Why does it list a renewal fee if it’s a one off?
good point not sure how long the approval lasts, been a long time since i was involved with a club, but the HO approval was always seen as different to that of the FAC, ie Fee bring paid to the Home Office.Who knows if part of the HO fee get past on to the police to issue the FAC may be may be not, then free FAC variations.
Just easier to assume a free FAC is a perk for being a HO approved club.
Norfolk Deer Search
Well-Known Member
If the rozzers offered a hassle free 10 year FAC for £500 i would pay that all day long!
Your a law abiding citizen, that's why you've been granted a SGC and a FAC. You've never been much of a problem other than doing 34 in a 30. You've conducted yourself correctly in filling in your paperwork on time, in time. Your doctors practice drags their feet filling in your paperwork , but took the £20.00 to £200 in cash. Your SGC and FAC runs out of date. Technically you are now a criminal holding firearms without a license. Death by a thousand cuts.
In principle I would pay more for a certificate to get better service, but only if the increase was directly linked to that increased performance.
So for instance. The certificate cost doubles. But if the duration between receipt of the paperwork and issuance of the certificate takes longer than 3 months, half the cost is refunded. If it takes longer than 6 months, the entire cost is waived.
That might be some slight incentive for the police to actually work towards efficiency, whereas right now, they get the same fee no matter how crap the service is, so why would they bother to improve it?
So for instance. The certificate cost doubles. But if the duration between receipt of the paperwork and issuance of the certificate takes longer than 3 months, half the cost is refunded. If it takes longer than 6 months, the entire cost is waived.
That might be some slight incentive for the police to actually work towards efficiency, whereas right now, they get the same fee no matter how crap the service is, so why would they bother to improve it?
saddler
Well-Known Member
Mine is a week or so away from taking 18 months - so will they start paying me a fee for the excessive wait and loss of my full FAC/SGC "rights"?
Will I phone the local yacht dealers now or give it another 6 months or so to allow the renewal process to complete?
A good job the certificates are now 5 year duration, as at this rate, if they were still only 3 years, I'd need to put in the next renewal forms now to give them a year and a half to process them....
As it is, IF mine turn up in the next week or so, I will be closer to receiving 3 year validity certificates than the 5 year ones I paid for...!!
Maybe there's a new trial being run by my local Police to slowly re-introduce 3 year certificates under the radar? After all, us shooters are the most polite customer base the police interact with = very likely seen as a sign of weakness and treat accordingly = so no chance of any boat rocking or teddy bear throwing if we get dumped on from whatever height suits and shoved on the naughty step as we don't fit the dynamics of the present day box-ticking culture.
The joke is that the criminal community seem to run around with never a second thought of their actions, and constantly see their charges dropped by the CPS, but we're the folk that get short shrift and "new rules" imposed that have little basis in the wording of the law in a lot of cases; they can find time to re-invent the wheel, but none to do the actual job they're paid to do first.
,The above just made me laugh loudly, I had the ridiculous thought that we could start taking the slackers to trading standards 
Norfolk Deer Search
Well-Known Member
Personally i dont care how long it takes for my renewal, before hand i will stock up on ammunition, dont need or want any more guns or rifles, as long as they give the the paperwork for extensions they can take as long as they like!
Its not rocket science to understand that its going to be a long slog under present conditions so think forward and prepare for it !
Personally i cant see what all the bitching is about!
Its not rocket science to understand that its going to be a long slog under present conditions so think forward and prepare for it !
Personally i cant see what all the bitching is about!
That'll be down to the blinkers then.
But thats what needs to happen, I also like the idea of the penalty fee for excessive time
Right, so you missed my post saying ‘not anymore’ then? In place since 2019 so not free anymore.
And you’ve obviously been going to the wrong all inclusive!
saddler
Well-Known Member
....and what happens when the 12-month paperwork expires?
I see your point re ammunition, sort of.
GREAT for someone shooting a box of 20 per 6 months or so....but I also attend MoD range shoots - using 200+ before the first coffee break is not uncommon.
The total entitlements are not great, and as soon as I run out of primers, what then??
Another more relevant for the forum issue around the delay....I've just been given a new permission to shoot over. Not having an open cert, with this area (had them in the past), I can only legally shoot on said land once the police have checked it and added it to my FAC.
Is that likely to happen while the renewal process is underway? and IF this new 18-month+ turnaround becomes the norm & accepted by a sector of licence holders, then I predict that ALL processes under the edict of said local department will slide to a similar time scale: got an invite to a course, or need a new bit of land adding? Got the chance to travel abroad next summer and need a variation or some small change to the ammunition table - don't worry - we'll have your changes ready for you in time for Christmas, 2023....
The only positive is that this level of service makes Durham hospital now look like a BUPA flagship site!!
saddler
Well-Known Member
I am thinking of making my garden a designated miniature range (rimfire)
At least then I can buy ,22 rifles and ammunition without an FAC (there's a named exemption for such facilities in the Firearms Act)
No need for Home Office approval - no annual fees - it's to promote marksmanship & strengthen national defence, don't ya know!!
I'm sure a modern sight using some military style .22 semi autos would be amazingly popular; even more so that all these new axe-throwing venues.
Or I could combine the two....this time next year I'll be a millionaire. Better make it 18 months though, just to be sure...
At least then I can buy ,22 rifles and ammunition without an FAC (there's a named exemption for such facilities in the Firearms Act)
No need for Home Office approval - no annual fees - it's to promote marksmanship & strengthen national defence, don't ya know!!
I'm sure a modern sight using some military style .22 semi autos would be amazingly popular; even more so that all these new axe-throwing venues.
Or I could combine the two....this time next year I'll be a millionaire. Better make it 18 months though, just to be sure...
Franchi Matt
Well-Known Member
And in doing so price some of the poorest shooters out of the game...? Its not the fees we pay thats the problem, its forces dragging their heels and tip toeing around political hot potatoes thats the problem.
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