2nd class service

[Steve]

Also bear in mind that although its been processed-it still needs signing by the chief of Police before dispatching and he/she might be on holiday/on leave/gone sick.Its still a heck of a long time for a renewal though.

[Sandgroper]

Rob,
You're a member of BASC, have you asked them for their opinion?

I gave it a few weeks given the effect the cuts were bound to have...then got a satisfactory response...but didn't bank on the Royal Mail also significantly adding to the delay. The 2nd class standard is 3 days after posting, including Saturdays...or to be precise, that's what they aim for. It's the Police that told me that the post can take 10 days to deliver ...they have had feedback from others wondering what had happened to their certs, after being told they had been sent.

No point in ringing BASC now, they wouldn't have got a better result than I did.

:|

I would still give BASC a call. If they don't know about it, how can they do anything or give advice. Other members may be in the same boat.

For example - http://www.basc.org.uk/en/media/pressre ... 1B4FE6584A

BASC was tipped off by a member that the force was making shotgun and firearm certificate applicants foot the bill for GPs’ letters and insisting the applicant request their own medical report direct from their GP.

BASC took action by writing to Dyfed-Powys Police and has been told by the force the changes have been made because of cost cutting.

This sort of thing is why we pay our membership.

[Robin128]

Good point...Emailed Mike.

Watching the post and the postmark.

[Robin128]

Both certs thru in the mail today...TNT...marked 1st class in hand writing...no evidence of when sent other than date of signing by chief officer of Police 21 Sept.

If it wasn't TNT delivering late...I don't know of the cause of the delay between when Police said they had sent to date actually received.

BUT...very happy...now got open ticket...and everything I asked for.

[Mike2]

If you were to hand in your application for the renewal of your firearm and/or shotgun certificate a few days after the expiry date of your olld cetificates - do you think the police would "understand" and allow you to keep your guns? Quite the contrary.

There is a remedy in law for the situation where you have applied in time, but your certificates have expired - ring the firearms licensing department and ask for a permit under section 7 of the 1968 Firearms Act - it's like a cover note for shotguns or firearms. It DOESN'T allow you to keep expanding ammunition 'though - that will have to go to a dealer for storage.

When dealing with firearms licensing staff ALWAYS get their name at the beginning of your conversation - you'll get better service, and it's always worth taking a note of the time and date, and what was said and by whom.

If you're a member of a shooting organisation, you should contact them for help and advice.

You should remember that there are LESS certificates now than in 1999 for example (5% less) yet the service we're receiving is far poorer than in those days - and I'm not looking through rose-tinted specs; I've seen the figures.

ACPO are asking for a massive rise in fees for a service which has become worse rather than better: We should not be paying for failure, but it seems that is the case. It may be time to start writing to our MPs if this does become the case.

It seems that the lessons of five and ten years ago haven't been learned by the police - and of course we don't complain.

:evil:

[douglas670]

not really a post about the service albeit a one for one thus far has taken 3 weeks, and before that i had put in at least 3 variations in the last 2 months so you would have thought all they really had to do was a criminal check and a quick call.
i have noticed however on one of the variations (cant remember if 25 or 26 quid) there was a reciepts that was accidently stapled to the variation and it said £10 to the force in question, but i have always wondered who gets the other £15/16 ??
anyone else had this? normally i only get the reciept for the cheque in question but this other one was mistakenly addd i think anyway.
regards
douglas

[Blackstuff]

Glad you got sorted out Rob Same thing happened to me earlier in the year, although i was only a few days over. Next time around it'll be a call a couple of days before expiry and if its not good news everythings going into an RFD.

I'm not really surprised that the Police use 2nd class post, at the end of the day its the tax payer that pays the postage so it saves a hell of a lot of money. What i do get slightly narked about is that my FLD uses windowed envelopes and you can clearly see FIREARMS CERTIFICATE right below my address in the window :evil:

[IainWR]

Hi Folks

I'm going to make a big professional mistake here.

Those of you who follow this forum in detail will know that I'm senior in the NRA hierarchy as vice-chairman and exec officer of the Shooting Committee. I'm also Chairman of the Shooting Committee of the International Confederation of Fullbore Rifle Associations (ICFRA) which is why I'm in Australia right now.

However ...

I am also employed by the NRA as their Firearms Liaison Officer. A big part of my job is to keep an eye out for police forces exceeding their authority or failing to deliver and to do something about it. So, please let me know chapter and verse of such occurrences - a letter attached to an email to firearms.liaison@nra.org.uk is the best way, and (when I get back) I will try to continue the good but mostly unsung work done by Geoff Doe and the others who have held this job before I took it on. Also, if you are an NRA member, I (and my boss Heather and other staff) will do what we can about individual problems.

When you write please tell the full story - failure is rarely entirely one-sided. If you have been a bit tardy or inattentive, please say so - everyone makes mistakes. I can't argue your corner if the first thing I get back is that you cocked up some form or other. But the police are required as a matter of law to provide the firearms licensing service, not on your behalf, but on behalf of every citizen, to ensure your rights alongside their (our) safety.

Iain

[karen]

What? The big bad NRA helping the poor downtrodden shooter?

Whatever next :lol:

Love

Karen

[Robin128]

Thanks very much for your prompt response Mike.

Keep up the good work at BASC.