Another Newbie Waiting On Fac - Over Three Months!

[Matthew Phillips 36]

Hi guys,

 

As per the topic I applied for my FAC over three months ago. Am a shotgun cert holder so I half expected things to go quicker.

 

The land was already approved for .270 and all I'm applying for is 22lr and 22wmr.

 

They've had my shotgun certificate for over a month as well now which means I can't buy any cartridges.

 

I called up a few weeks ago and was told "it's with the licensing manager"... and still nothing. If anyone knows where in the long process the licensing managers sits i'd be grateful to here.

 

I'm based in gloucestershire and am well aware that the badger cull is in progress at the moment which could cause delays but I feel this is a bit of a piss take having to wait this long.

 

Other than complain to PCC (which could cause me more problems than it's worth) what else can i do?

 

Is three months the norm?

 

Many thanks

 

 

[J_Edwards 70]

My coterminous FAC and SGC took 5 months, start to finish. The cheque was cashed after a few days, interview after 3 weeks, and then a 4 month wait for it to arrive. I was told by them that it's was due to a combination of staff shortages, computer failures, and a massive backlog.

 

I've also been told to expect a similar timeframe for renewals and variations, as well as to expect a month for them to carry out a land check.

 

In their defence, nobody really knows what sort of time-consuming checks they have to do, so it could take much longer than you think.

 

When it does finally arrive, you don't really care, you're just pondering what to buy

[ianm 2,594]

Yorkshire police have never been anything but incompetent you have only to look at their track record, Ripper murders, Hillsborough, Rotherham? etc!

[Bunny Boiler 177]

Im only over the border in Oxfordshire and my license was through barely 3 weeks after posting. The cheque was cashed and I saw my FEO about a week later when he phoned me. License for both FAC and SGC was through in a week or so later.

[Bigad 136]

West Yorkshire police took about 3 1/2 month for land check after that 12 days and cert was on my door mat

[J_Edwards 70]

I've heard a few rumours that closed tickets are on their way out, in order for the under-staffed police force to save time and effort visiting and clearing land. It will probably just mean more conditions, like mentoring and high-seats for the first year or so.

 

It's miles easier to give someone an open ticket, rather than constantly going out to check new permissions. Plus there's the flack from the BASC, should someone decide to challenge a decision.

[Dumpling 23]

I know when my mrs applied for hers it took 7 months and when it did arrive they backdated it to when they cashed the check so she lost all those months....

[celticrusader 78]

J_Edwards I've heard mentoring has been binned altogether, that said none of them sing from the same hymn sheet, my mates took 9 months but then he did move house in between.

Tbh I think there starting to realise the arduous task they've taken on and are incapable of doing it!.. I think things will be easier for us in the future but that just means because its easier and less time consuming for them.

Edited September 16, 2014 by celticrusader

[J_Edwards 70]

J_Edwards I've heard mentoring has been binned altogether, that said none of them sing from the same hymn sheet, my mates took 9 months but then he did move house in between.

Tbh I think there starting to realise the arduous task they've taken on and are incapable of doing it!.. I think things will be easier for us in the future but that just means because its easier and less time consuming for them.

 

I don't think mentoring has ever been officially laid out, it's just used if the FEO thinks the applicant is too inexperienced to go out on their own. I know that a friend in a neighbouring county got an open ticket on first attempt, but with a mentoring condition, whereas I got a closed ticket without any conditions. It wouldn't bother me if a private company took licencing over, such as G4S or Serco, like they're doing with the prisons. I don't mind paying a bit more, providing the service is good. With some forces aiming to increase fees, having to wait 5 months for a grant, renewal, or variation is out of order.

 

I imagine getting rid of land checks would save a lot of time and effort, something the police would be very keen to do.

[celticrusader 78]

Very true but I dont think I'd like to place anything like that in the hands of private security as I think they're inadequate and as I work security for the MOD I know they're incompetency... Just look at there ( g4s ) mess on the Olympics.

When you start going private you take control out of the state but I see what you mean.

[Terryorr 27]

I don't know what the system in England is, but 10 years ago in Northern Ireland the application system was a joke. A nephew off mine waited 11 and a half months for his FAC to come through for a shotgun. ( In Northern Ireland a FAC covers everything from a low powered air rifle up to the most powerful CF rifle). Someone else took over the running of the system and divided the office in half. One half dealt with the back log and the other half dealt with the new applications. The system is all cleared up now and any variation or application is dealt with in exceptional time, ie, 1 month at most. All I have for the Licensing process in Northern Ireland is Praise. I know someone is gonna come back at me and disagree but before you do, think why.

[geordieh 74]

Move to Wiltshire lads they are excellent, variations and 1 for 1s 15-20 minutes while you wait, last renewal coterminous about 3 weeks new one in my hand before expiry of old one

[Terryorr 27]

Move to Wiltshire lads they are excellent, variations and 1 for 1s 15-20 minutes while you wait, last renewal coterminous about 3 weeks new one in my hand before expiry of old one

Variations, 1 for 1, 15 20 minutes while you wait, Way it should be. Congratulations to Wiltshire FAC issuers, well done.

[J_Edwards 70]

Move to Wiltshire lads they are excellent, variations and 1 for 1s 15-20 minutes while you wait, last renewal coterminous about 3 weeks new one in my hand before expiry of old one

 

I was talking to a fellow in my county, and his 1 for 1 took 5 months. By my reckoning, that's 219,130 minutes more than Wiltshire takes Plus, he his new one came back closed, when before it was open.

[Rikweller 14]

Put my application in June/July and have just today had my firearms officer interview for my .22 cert, bearing in mind I also hold a sgc, the office said there was no reason why it should take more than 8 weeks hahahaha yea [BANNED TEXT] lol