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Let's say that you were planning to be away for a couple of months, abroad...

And that your two cats, and house, were to be looked after by 'House Sitters'.

What are the legal ramifications of the cabinets full of shotguns & firearms..?

Opinions and ideas all welcome!

Can you comply with the conditions on your certificate, whilst allowing people unfettered access to your home. Can you justify that in a court if something were to go wrong.

The firearms and ammunition [or shotguns] to which the certificate relates must at all times (except in the circumstances set out in paragraph (b) below) be stored securely so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, access to the firearms or ammunition by an unauthorised person.

Presumably you trust these individuals, and you're following the home office guidance for levels of security for your firearms, so you trust that they won't go taking an angle grinder to the cabinets and trying to get into them whilst they have access to the house for extended periods. Can you trust them to keep your house secure when they're there, or not there?

It's a minefield. I don't have animals, so I don't have to consider this possibility, but I'd be cautious about giving anyone access to my property and security arrangements whilst away for extended periods, then I'm probably one step away from a tinfoil hat when it comes to paranoia about them!

The legal ramifications are zero - unless something were to happen then you have stand in-front of a judge and justify what you had done.
If the cabinet keys were not in the house and the house sitters were known you I think you’d be okay. In fact possible in a better position than leaving the house unoccupied for two months.
Might be worth storing your guns with an RFD £2 per gun per week last time I asked.

My ha'penny worth - I'd only consider this with a close, trusted friend who was fully aware of the presence of firearms and the need to keep the property secure. I would also ensure that all sets of safe keys are removed from the premises for the duration.

Dave

I think Rockhopper has a point, it is an arguable case that having a trusted friend (without locker keys of course) house sitting is safer than leaving the house empty.

It's not an issue for me as my gun cabinets are in a study with a sturdy locked door which is also fitted with a movement sensor. I also have a camera in the room accessible via my phone.
Might be worth installing a lock on the door of the room for peace of mind if you have any niggling doubts.

As above, if you are able to, lock the door of the room where they are. And remove all keys from the property. And then, as above, a house occupied by a trusted person, without any access to the guns, is safer than an unoccupied house.
Any doubts stick them in with an RFD

Thank you for all the info, opinions, and suchlike... much appreciated!

Certainly food for thought.

Looks like I may well sell a few, and lodge the rest with a local RFD...

Why don'e you ask your FEO.....in writing, and see what they say?

Plecotus wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 2:06 pm Why don'e you ask your FEO.....in writing, and see what they say?

I was thinking that... what could possibly go wrong..?