Waiting for shotgun licence for four and a half month. Moved house. What to do?

szita2000 · 23-10-2014 5:45pm #1

Hi Lads.

I have joined Courtlough at the beginning of this summer.
All nice and dandy. Put down deposit on a shotgun, applied for the licence.
(on 11th of June) to Swords Garda station.
I waited patiently for the 3 months to elapse since the date of my application.
During this time nobody ever contacted me in regards to the paperwork, or anything.

Since the 3 month was up, I tried to contact the officer who deals with the firearms application.
Been to the station number of times, called the station, left numerous messages in person, and through the phone to the officer to contact me, to get an update on my application.
Every time I talked to someone they were blowing smoke saying there is a massive backlog and all, but never the less the officer will contact me.

In the meantime I have moved house so I really need to talk to someone in regards of my application.
I understand that since I moved house, technically they might not be able to assist me, and I probably have to apply to my current local station.
The mail from my old apartment is forwarded to the new address, so if anything comes through we are receiving it.

Any advice welcome.

Cass · 23-10-2014 7:38pm

Keep on trying to contact your local FO. Next time you are in the station leave a letter, in sealed envelope, with the details of:

Your wait so far
Change of address
Advice on how to proceed

Mark it for the attention of the FO and ask for a receipt from whomever is on the desk. DO NOT leave without this.

In the mean time if the license comes through on your old address use an FCA2 to amend the address from your old one to your current one. This will sort everything without any hassle.

deeksofdoom · 23-10-2014 9:49pm

I wouldn't bother contacting the FO until you have your licence.

Continue having your post redirected to your new address. Once you have the gun and licence in your possession then go about having your address changed.

Otherwise your just going to confuse things and delay your licence further.

Witcher · 23-10-2014 10:09pm

If it's been 4 1/2 months with no correspondence and you can't contact your FO I would personally call the super's secretary/district clerk and ask what's going on.

I handed in a shotgun sub 2 years back and still hadn't heard anything well a over month later and I couldn't contact my FO to ask. I called the super's secretary and she sorted it for me- it hadn't even made it to the FO's desk.

I still have never spoken to the FO and anytime I've an issue with licences etc. I just call her straight away. FO is never in his office here and another guy I shoot with in this district had trouble reaching him too.

Sparks · 23-10-2014 10:41pm

deeksofdoom wrote: »

Continue having your post redirected to your new address. Once you have the gun and licence in your possession then go about having your address changed.

If you do that, you're submitting an application with incorrect information knowing that it's incorrect, and that's now illegal under the firearms act.

Best idea may just be to drop a note into the old station saying you've moved and the application is being resubmitted at the new station, then drop another FCA1 into the new station with a note explaining that it was originally submitted to the old station.

Wadi14 · 23-10-2014 11:28pm

Between Cass and Sparks they have it covered, only thing I'd do differently is re-apply in your new station don't even waste your time with the old station, say nothing if it comes through change your address I don't think by the sound of it the FO in your old station will be bothered anyway

deeksofdoom · 24-10-2014 7:30am

Sparks wrote: »

If you do that, you're submitting an application with incorrect information knowing that it's incorrect, and that's now illegal under the firearms act.

Best idea may just be to drop a note into the old station saying you've moved and the application is being resubmitted at the new station, then drop another FCA1 into the new station with a note explaining that it was originally submitted to the old station.

No, he has submitted an application which was correct at the time of submission. He has made numerous attempts to contact the Gardai and they have not bothered to contact him back.

When he receives his licence he can get it amended
Licensed firearms holder move house all the time.

szita2000 · 24-10-2014 8:49am

Blay wrote: »

If it's been 4 1/2 months with no correspondence and you can't contact your FO I would personally call the super's secretary/district clerk and ask what's going on.

I handed in a shotgun sub 2 years back and still hadn't heard anything well a over month later and I couldn't contact my FO to ask. I called the super's secretary and she sorted it for me- it hadn't even made it to the FO's desk.

I still have never spoken to the FO and anytime I've an issue with licences etc. I just call her straight away. FO is never in his office here and another guy I shoot with in this district had trouble reaching him too.

@Blay. How did you get the Super's secretary's number?
I suspect the same, that my application never made it to the FO's desk.

I think I will not bother chasing the old station, as they can just turn around and say that my application was held up because of a backlog, however since I changed address they can't issue a licence for an old address, and they won't have authority to the new address.

It is frustrating as I had to get my cardiologist to send an "all clear" letter to the garda station. (I had a heart surgery couple of years back, and I thought I better declare it)

Anyhow.
Thanks for all of your thoughts, the main thing is to get a few sunny days, and lot of cartridge in the pocket for practicing.

Cheers everyone!

Sparks · 24-10-2014 11:10am

deeksofdoom wrote: »

No, he has submitted an application which was correct at the time of submission. He has made numerous attempts to contact the Gardai and they have not bothered to contact him back.

And before the process is completed, a significant portion of the information given has changed; if he doesn't let them know that, he'll face some interesting questions if the CPO calls out to inspect the gunsafe and finds he doesn't live at the given address anymore.

Licensed firearms holder move house all the time.

Yeah, but they're not applicants, they have their licences and there's a defined procedure for them (the FCA2 form). For applicants, there isn't one, but you can't just ignore the change and barrel on ahead hoping nobody will say anything. Besides, if this station is taking so long to process it, maybe he'll have better luck at the new station.

Witcher · 24-10-2014 4:55pm

szita2000 wrote: »

@Blay. How did you get the Super's secretary's number?
I suspect the same, that my application never made it to the FO's desk.

Call the district headquarters station where the super is, ask to speak to the district clerk and they'll put you through.

Nekarsulm · 24-10-2014 5:02pm

Your paperwork is more than likely lost.
No body is prepared to admit this yet.
There may be sporadic attempts to find your forms, but they are probably buried under a mountain of paper somewhere.
Re apply may be your quickest course of action.

Of course, as soon as you do re-apply, the original will surface.

chris20 · 28-10-2014 9:49pm

I had to apply deal with a Garda out in swords myself,11 months for my 22lr! Every time I rang I got the usual "he isn't in today ring tomorrow or leave him a message"
Ended up ringing coolock Garda station and got chatting to a very polite superintendent who deals with all the applications,he was shocked to hear it was 11 months,he said he would look after it for me,got a phone call from Murphy in swords the next day apologising for the delay,had the license 4 days later!

Give coolock a ring and see if they have recieved your application yet

szita2000 · 29-10-2014 8:29am

@chris20

Same FO here.That is interesting.
I think I will give a ring to the super.

Cheers

tomtucker81 · 29-10-2014 12:23pm

My local station is coolock, and i found the FO here (sgt gormley) very helpful anytime ive had to make an application.
Very quickly processed too. If you apply to swords, the FO there has to send it in to coolock anyway for the Superintendent in coolock to deal with.
As per the previous post try ringing coolock to talk to sgt gormley.

k31 · 30-10-2014 1:33pm

I have a number of friends living in the Swords area and delays of 4 1/2 months and longer are unfortunately not uncommon. As advised ring Coolock and try to speak to Sgt. Gormley. If you cant get him ask to be put through to the District office and explain the situation. That hopefully should move the process on. Good Luck.

szita2000 · 31-10-2014 11:37am

Hey Lads.

So I had some update.

I rang the Coolock district HQ. Unfortunately I wasn't able to speak to the super, but I got put through to the person dealing with Firearms applications. He was very nice. He checked the system for my name, and said that my application never reached the system to be put on.
So it must be laying around the station.
He took my number and said that he will try to reach the FO on the swords station. Later that day he rung me back and told me that he couldn't reach the FO as he was out. But he suggest that since I changed address, I apply to my new station, and apologised for the inconvenience.

Today, two days later, the Swords station FO rang me, saying that finally he got through to my application and it is all looking good, he will submit it today.

I gave a rang back to the district office where the person that submits the applications to the super, told me that since I live in a new address the super will not be able to grant me a licence as the law will not allow him to do. He apologised and advised me to submit my application to my new local station.

Lesson learned here:
I will need a proof of receipt of my application and a name and number of the FO next time.

Nevermind. it is not raining and I am on a half day today so heading to the range this afternoon!.

Cheers again for all of your advice!

Nekarsulm · 31-10-2014 1:21pm

szita2000 wrote: »

He checked the system for my name, and said that my application never reached the system to be put on.
So it must be laying around the station.

Today, two days later, the Swords station FO rang me, saying that finally he got through to my application and it is all looking good, he will submit it today.

Lesson learned here:
I will need a proof of receipt of my application and a name and number of the FO next time.

!.

There you go! Lost until someone put a rocket under someone else's backside. Then magically "found" and processed, but now too late as address changed!

My first application for a rifle was never found....................:rolleyes:

Cass · 31-10-2014 2:20pm

As annoying as it is it's a result. Now you know.

Get a new FCA1 and lash it off, and as you said get a receipt.

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Waiting for shotgun licence for four and a half month. Moved house. What to do?

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