10 years ILR postal application

[taylondon]

I posted my ILR application on the basis of 10 years residency in September 2009. they charged the money day after and I got the acknowledgement in the same week

last year a friend of mine posted his ILR application on the basis of 10 years long residency.

he came around 1998 as a student, he got married with a British citizen and had his 1 year marriage visa valid until 2000. HO refused his ILR application on the basis of marriage. He did not appeal, he stayed as a overstayer, he did not leave the country
as he is Turkish he took benefit of Turkish ECAA agreement and submit a application around 2003 under Turkish ECAA category as a self employed person and granted 1 year LTR in 2004, he extented it 3 times and 1 year per each time until 2008 and applied ILR in 2008, he got ILR after 6 months waiting.
even though he got a huge gap between 2000 and 2004, it did not matter. he got the ILR on the basis of 10 years long residency

I know a family of 3 through a customer of mine, a chinese family.
mother lost her 2 passport, had gaps etc but was granted ILR on the 10 years rule in 3 monts
son had 3 gaps, total of 100 days but granted ILR on the 10 years rule in 2 weeks
daughter had no single gaps, continous residency during 10 years and she did not even leave the country for more then 30 days in total during 10 years, quite straightforward application, she was granted ILR in 9 months,

so nobody knows actually what is going on really, HO can use discretion at any time for any case without limit.