REGISTERED LETTERS

 

Registered letters are a way to record the sending and reception of an important piece of correspondence.  However, deadbeat tenants are finding ways around avoiding reception of these letters.  With large multi-unit buildings, sending numerous registered letters several times per year can get quite expensive and time consuming.

 

A good property manager must ensure that these letters are delivered in a timely manner so as to meet legal requirements as well as be effective in increasing rental revenue. 

 

For instance, in Quebec, most leases are renewed in the month of March hence rent increase notifications are sent during this time.  Clever tenants that want to avoid increases, ignore the registered letters not collecting them at the post office.  This may eventually lead to the legal deadline for tenant notification passing if any subsequent means of delivery (by bailiff or hand-delivery) are after the notification deadline.  More importantly, when this issue becomes contested in court there would be no evidence of the reception of the letter by the tenant.

 

In multi-unit buildings we find the best method of sending correspondence is through hand-delivered letters but with a form that acknowledges their receipt of the specific document and the specific date by the receiver.  The strategy is simple and cost-effective. 

 

On the rare occasion that difficult and unreasonable tenants refuse to sign, then a bailiff must be used to deliver the notice.