Reasonable wait for variation…

[Landy99]

I know that firearms licensing departments remain under resourced despite the extra fees we as certificate holders are now paying. I’m also aware how hard my FEO is working and the stress she is under, but I can’t help but to be slightly peeved that the wheels turn so slowly.

The wait for my variation is now being measured in months and I’ve had no reply to either email or text message. I don’t want to hound my FEO, and just wondered what people are doing when their variations take months and months to be processed. Are people just accepting this and waiting patiently or chasing with emails and phone calls or maybe asking professional bodies to intervene?

 

[martyn52]

Derbyshire turned my last one around in 10 days

 

[old keeper]

Devon and Cornwall, a couple of weeks

 

[Moose67]

Firearms Licensing League table

 

[austin1999]

Avon and somerset just done me a one for one in 5 weeks

 

[C h r i s]

Staffordshire is same day if it's one for one, around 3 weeks if its an additional slot and visit needed.

 

[wytonpjs]

Avon and somerset just done me a one for one in 5 weeks

Same

 

[M@tt]

Firearms Licensing League table

That table gives the 2021/2022 figures. In 2 years BCH went from 1 month renewal to wheels fallen off and no end in sight.

 

[weblyish]

That table gives the 2021/2022 figures. In 2 years BCH went from 1 month renewal to wheels fallen off and no end in sight.

What the hell has happened in the last couple of years

I'm with the Met. wait for a grant is running at around 12months
I asked BASC they suggest start chasing after 40 weeks

According to this Only 3 years ago they were averaging turning them round in 3months
What's gone so wrong lately ?

 

[Dickie]

What the hell has happened in the last couple of years

I'm with the Met. wait for a grant is running at around 12months
I asked BASC they suggest start chasing after 40 weeks

According to this Only 3 years ago they were averaging turning them round in 3months
What's gone so wrong lately ?

COVID, Brexit and staff turnover pick one or multiple and that’s the answer you’ll get.

 

[Pedro]

A reasonable wait for a variation depends on whether you are an applicant or the applicant's police force.

It defies logic that some areas still can't get their act together after so much time and it smacks of them really not wanting to have the task of firearms licencing. I think some other body doing it is becoming more desirable perhaps.

 

[Trickyd66]

Same

A&S variation to add a 1st CF / Deer legal calibre (only Rimfire before) , 8 weeks to the day pretty much. Can't really grumble.

 

[Alexj]

I must me blessed.

I put in a variation for an additional calibre online, late Wednesday evening, the new ticket turned up in the post this morning!

Well done Surrey/Sussex FLD.

 

[Blaser243]

I don't think its unreasonable to chase until you get a clear answer on when you can expect a complete response. At that point, you can decide whether to escalate within firearms licensing management (your FEO is just one person, if they can't handle their workload, its their manager's responsibility to respond) or whether to escalate outside of the organisation - for instance, by writing to your PCC or MP.

 

[JoJo15]

8 months and counting here in NI. Haven't applied for anything out of the ordinary, just a 6.5creed and moderator for deer stalking. Have supplied land that’s been passed, has deer on it and I have submitted my PDS1. They have passed on my variation to the senior firearms licensing manager to review it ?

Anyway, there isn’t much I can do other than wait

 

[AndrewS]

Suffolk - seven months and counting (for one additional rifle plus mod)...

 

[Landy99]

Well, maybe someone in Sussex firearms licensing department read this thread because I received an email today to say the variation has been accepted and to send off my ticket!

Thanks for all the replies. I’m in no doubt though that is still be waiting if I hadn’t chased though.

 

[Floralys]

West Yorkshire Police, sent my variation at the end of May, approved within a week then on waiting to be printed status… for over a month now.

Not sure what happened with the staff, i thought process would be better with increased fees

 

[Jagged77]

Really disappointing to hear of long waits but it’s great to hear of the positive stories of quick turnarounds too.

Very fortunate with South Yorkshire and praise where praise is due, I dropped my certificate in on a Friday and it was printed and signed the following Tuesday.

 

[broad_head]

My last 141 variation was over 2 months and it needed me to send a nudge email to get it sorted.