Renewal question - first timer....

[Finners]

Iggy - Just as a matter of interest, when did you send your renewal in?

Some helpful (well clear in any case) words here:  

http://basc.org.uk/firearms/certificate-renewals-2015/

Personally I would not act on the word of a well meaning oficer. BASC advice is summarised :

It is an offence for anyone to be in possession of a firearm without the appropriate authority. Any advice that it is acceptable to continue keeping your guns without a valid certificate should be ignored, even if your renewal has been submitted.

If your certificate should expire before a valid replacement is in your possession, you should ask for a temporary permit, issued under Section 7 of the Firearms Act 1968. It should be granted in the event of an administrative delay.

The Home Office guidance to the police: “Guide to Firearms Licensing Law” of July 2014 directs that a permit should be issued where an applicant has submitted an application in good time. Issuing a Section 7 is a simple remedy to prevent someone falling on the wrong side of the law.

 

[ips]

Succinct enough I would say Finners

 

[Finners]

Get it in writing

However well meaning, the FEO is not authorised to re-write the Law. The Police are required to provide a Section 7 Permit, it is not an option unless Iggy sent his application in late.

 

[Finners]

Succinct enough I would say Finners

Not sure about succinct :biggrin: but it's very clear I think. I'm glad I read it as now I know.

 

[ips]

Well more succinct than reading lawyer speak regs.

Op

You need a section 7 and quick.

P's

In my defence I never said I disagreed with tinker or others merely commented on it being a bit daft.

Carry on .....

 

[Jan Powell]

However well meaning, the FEO is not authorised to re-write the Law. The Police are required to provide a Section 7 Permit, it is not an option unless Iggy sent his application in late.

Oh no they're not. The 'GUIDE to firearms licensing law' may suggest it but it is nothing more than a GUIDE, to be interpreted by each force as they see fit. The Police are not required to issue temporary extensions and many do not for the simple reason that the time spent doing so slows down the issuing of grants and renewals. It's easier and cheaper for them to place the responsibility on the certificate holder to lodge the guns with an RFD. 

Try them though, you may be fortunate. Whatever you do, and as previous posters have said, make sure you have their advice in writing.

 

[bostonmick]

I would either write to them requesting a sect7 or email as a phone call is not worth the paper it is written on.be sure if there was any problems the police would deny telling you it was ok.

 

[Finners]

Perhaps it would be interesting to see the comments in #24 being tested in a Court. However, whilst I'm not sure what the outcome would be, but I am totally certain I would not want to be the subject of the test! 

In short, I'd not want to have to explain why I ignored the clear; unambiguous; professional and reliable advice of a nationally recognised source such as the BASC, but instead sought the counsel of some random person on a website, or indeed the word of a well meaning admin officer in an FOE Office. 

 

[Bramble]

Perhaps it would be interesting to see the comments in #24 being tested in a Court. However, whilst I'm not sure what the outcome would be, but I am totally certain I would not want to be the subject of the test! 

In short, I'd not want to have to explain why I ignored the clear; unambiguous; professional and reliable advice of a nationally recognised source such as the BASC, but instead sought the counsel of some random person on a website, or indeed the word of a well meaning admin officer in an FOE Office. 

I go with that.....

 

[Iggy]

Thanks one and all for the advice and generous offers of help, some of which I might still need.

I've put a clear, concise (and very polite) e-mail onto Staffs this evening outlining what I was told today over the phone earlier today and asked them to confirm that my understanding is correct. I can't see them taking too kindly to me ringing up and demanding something from them in writing, so hopefully this is a compromise to get the same end result.

I'll keep you posted and thank you all again for your kind offers of support, it's much appreciated.

Iggy.

 

[Salopian]

The reason firearms departments are loathe to issue a section 7 is because it is traceable in an audit trail and is a measure of a departments inefficiency. Chief Constable doesn't like having to be accountable for inefficiency.A Staffordshire shooter managed to do without a licence issue for nearly a year thanks to Staffordshire's tardiness.

Iggy, try buying cartridges on the strength of a promise and a receipt!

 

[Finners]

Thanks one and all for the advice and generous offers of help, some of which I might still need.

I've put a clear, concise (and very polite) e-mail onto Staffs this evening outlining what I was told today over the phone earlier today and asked them to confirm that my understanding is correct. I can't see them taking too kindly to me ringing up and demanding something from them in writing, so hopefully this is a compromise to get the same end result.

I'll keep you posted and thank you all again for your kind offers of support, it's much appreciated.

Iggy.

Totally get where you're coming from, and I agree that demanding anything from the Police is unlikely to help.

However, this situation does raise my hackles a little. To me, provided your application was sent in good time (which you've not said?) then regardless of any detailed legal position (ie is the issue of a Section 7 a mandatory obligation or not) Surely they have a responsibility to you as a tax payer if nothing else; to provide the service they have been paid for.

It's not like an MOT is it, ie it's not as though you can't go somewhere else can you?

 

[Iggy]

I did mention in the original post my application went in January for a renewal early March.

Is that early enough....who knows, how longs a piece of string?

Haven't received a reply today, but no SWAT team outside either so fingers crossed.

 

[Finners]

I did mention in the original post my application went in January for a renewal early March.

Ahhh, so you did. 

Anyway, they'll turn up at 3:00am  :spiteful:

Edit: I sent mine in early Oct for a mid Dec change, no problems. So I would guess yours was in on time? 

 

[schmokinn]

gotta big up Dorset...somebody lost mine last year.

took a few days to get a human being on the end of the phone,asked me to send in a letter explaining the situation and had a replacement in under a week!!

would have been nice to get through quicker..but after that i was stunned by the rapidity of the replacements arrival.

FB

 

[Salopian]

Spoke to a Staffs shooter today. Expiry last November , still waiting.But he's had a very nice letter saying everything is alright, don't worry .

"Called the police today and they told me not to worry...as long as I have the receipt confirming my application was in good time etc (which I have) then it's just a matter of waiting for the backlog to clear.

I asked about using/transporting my gun etc and they said that as the database is national, if I am stopped then they can see and check that I've applied for a renewal.

Seems like it's just down to plain backlog...."

So if the database is National, and computerised , they have all your details to hand , type in relevant information onto new certificate, press 'print' post to applicant ?????????????

Could someone explain to me how you buy a new gun , another gun , or cartridges with a receipt for payment or a letter saying don't worry , we acknowledge we have received your application three months ago and we will get around to issuing your certificate eventually, but we have to do the ones who applied last year first!!!!!

 

[Iggy]

Have to agree with you Peter, doesn't seem like rocket science.

Perhaps there's more to it than meets the eye.

Thankfully I've got a few shells in stock and I'm (trying hard to) not buy another gun, but if I wanted to do either I can't see it being easy...

If you don't hear from me again, a sponge cake with a file and toffee hammer inside would be nice.

 

[Santa2512]

Have to agree with you Peter, doesn't seem like rocket science.

Perhaps there's more to it than meets the eye.

Thankfully I've got a few shells in stock and I'm (trying hard to) not buy another gun, but if I wanted to do either I can't see it being easy...

If you don't hear from me again, a sponge cake with a file and toffee hammer inside would be nice.

I allready asked you what you wanted on page one

:santa: x

 

[Iggy]

Thanks Santa

 

[Iggy]

Update....I received an e-mail this morning from Sattfs Police confirming the advice I was given over the phone was correct and that I can still hold and use my guns legally until the renewal comes through.

As Peter says though, this is all fine as long as you don't need to buy shells or swap guns etc.

Still, hopefully problem solved for now.

Thanks all again for your generous offers of help and advice.