14 August 2014

Australia Post has introduced a second delivery timetable for business mail. As a result of these  changes, real estate agencies that send residential tenancy notices by mail will need to consider whether additional delivery time is now required. 
 
Businesses can choose the ‘Priority’ or ‘Regular’ mail timetable, with the regular service taking one to two business days more than those sent using the priority service. 
 
The Residential Tenancies Act provides that notices may be served in person or by post. Where a notice is posted to a tenant, it is deemed to have been received at the time it would have been delivered “in the ordinary course of post”. It is therefore important to factor in the new expected delivery times when posting notices. 
 
Allocating the correct number of days for the delivery service is important, otherwise a court may rule the tenant did not receive the correct notice and it would then be considered ‘ineffective’. This means the matter cannot proceed and the notice process has to start again. 
 
Information about the Australia Post service options and estimated delivery times is available from their publication "Helping you prepare for upcoming busiess letter changes: An explanation of delivery timetable and price changes, what this means for you and what you need to do."