Surrey Firearms Licensing Team

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pigsy
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Surrey Firearms Licensing Team

#1 Post by pigsy »

Hi,

Has anyone had any recent interaction specifically with the Surrey Licensing Team?

I put in for a variation 2 months ago for a BP revolver and relevant explosives licence and heard nothing. I’ve tried contacting them through the online platform but again, other than an automated acknowledgment not actually heard anything. Sadly, there is no phone number listed. The £20 fee was paid online so this has cleared.

My renewal is due is April and I’m just concerned as to the lead time I will need to give them.

Their website says to allow up to 24 weeks for new certs. So should just get the renewal process moving asap? Assuming as others have indicated on here that as long as I have given them over 8 weeks I should get a S.7 extension.

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Re: Surrey Firearms Licensing Team

#2 Post by jmc67 »

I've only emailed them, not found a way of phoning them. My renewal is due in Feb, and I wanted to check with them if I should start the process before betting my letter about it. The response which came back within a couple of days was 'yes please, as we currently have a bit of a backlog'. My advice, wait until you are less than 6 months away (which I think you will be now), print off the doctors letter that Surrey and Sussex provide and get that signed as that needs to be less than 6 months from the renewal I think. Then start the process of renewal. You will get a letter regarding renewal, but about 4 months from the date. The issue I had with that was my doctor is claiming 4 weeks to sign the letter, so if I'd waited until the renewal letter from the police, things could get pretty tight if the doctor throws in any more delays.
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Re: Surrey Firearms Licensing Team

#3 Post by pigsy »

Thanks JMC. Appreciate the advice.

The quandary is do I include the BP revolver in the renewal (that I haven’t yet had the variation administered)?

In any event I will get the doctor’s note in process……..
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Re: Surrey Firearms Licensing Team

#4 Post by jmc67 »

No problem.

Perhaps drop them an email with something along the lines of 'I'm thinking of starting my renewal process now, will that be ok as I understand you are very busy at the moment, and by the way, I currently have a variation with you, is there any news on that please, as I need to understand how to deal with this in my renewal', etc etc. That way it looks like you are being proactive with regards to the renewal, rather than just asking for an update on the variation. When I emailed about the renewal I got a response within a day or two, and that was a couple of weeks ago.

Good luck with it. I'm just patiently waiting for my doctors to do their job now so I can get going with mine.....
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Re: Surrey Firearms Licensing Team

#5 Post by pigsy »

Thank you JMC!
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Re: Surrey Firearms Licensing Team

#6 Post by Triffid »

I've just completed my renewal with the Surrey/Sussex.

Process went smoothly, but mainly because as I've been following various discussions on this forum, I was aware of potential issues with getting my Doctor's reference. So I approached my GP four months in advance of my FAC expiry. This time they said they weren't getting involved in firearms licensing any more (I've been with then since 2000, so this is my fifth FAC renewal with the GP), so I did the FoI request for my medical records (which took them a couple of weeks). I then picked the cheapest internet medical records provider I could find (Dr Ian McKenzie at https://firearmsmedicalreports.co.uk) to provide the actual reference. So when my renewal notification came through 3 months before expiry, I was able to turn it around straight away. My FAC was issue about a fortnight before the old one expired.

My renewal interview was conducted over the phone. I understand from the FEO that Sussex/Surrey are prioritising renewals above grants, with variations coming at the bottom of the pile. So that might explain your delay and JMC's advice is good. But do get your medical certificate lined up in advance.

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Re: Surrey Firearms Licensing Team

#7 Post by Pippin89 »

My missus is in the process of applying for an SGC grant with Surrey Sussex (the Sussex side). It has been 3 months now so while chatting with my FEO about something else I dropped it into conversation. She said she's on the list for this week for a call but renewals are endless due to the Covid shutdown. So while they are backlogged, renewals are taking precedence over grants and variations.
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Re: Surrey Firearms Licensing Team

#8 Post by pigsy »

Thank you both for the great insight.

Request for GP reference will go in this week so fingers crossed!
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Re: Surrey Firearms Licensing Team

#9 Post by J4mes »

Consider too that if your department insists on a medical report, they may insist on a 2nd when you apply for your FAC. Mine did, despite it only being 5 months since I'd renewed my SGC. I argued it was nonsense that the report was valid for 5 years but had to be resupplied 5 months later, but they wouldn't budge. Luckily my GP agreed and it was only £27. If you have an awkward GP who charges a fortune, it's additional cost.
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Re: Surrey Firearms Licensing Team

#10 Post by Triffid »

Under the new Statutory Guidelines, you can no longer obtain your own medical records from your GP and send them yourself to a third-party Doctor for review. Instead you have to give the third-party Doctor permission to access your medical record and he/she have to go direct to your GP. If you're lucky your own GP will do the whole thing for you. If you're very lucky, they won't charge you £50. . .

You must get your medical reference lined up in advance of your FAC application. If they don't arrive at about the same time, the Police will chuck it out.

Triffid
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