united-kingdom
Is there a legal requirement in the UK to receive physical post?
<p>I recently was unable to receive post in the UK (due to a broken post box in a post room) and as a result did not read legal document I should have received.</p>

<p>While I understand the legal requirement for a valid address in cases such as your driving license, is there a legal requirement to be in receipt of physical post at the address? Does supplying your address also commit you to having received and opened post at that address.</p>

<p>Can you deny physical post? Opt out all together from being able to receive post at a residential address?</p>

<p>As an aside to the implications of any answers to the above ... if there is a convention of organisations making "reasonable steps" to get in touch with you, how can post be deemed reasonable if they don't get a reply and have no idea if such post was received? Isn't the onus then on me to take "reasonable steps" to receive post? Why should I? What if I can't? </p>

<p>I did the Googling:</p>

<p>Prior to the <a href="http://www.steeleslaw.co.uk/news/don-t-rely-on-your-postman-deemed-service-rebutted-where-notice-not-received">case described in this article</a>, a notice was to be deemed served if the sender can sufficiently prove that the letter was properly addressed, pre-paid and posted. Law - Section 7 of the Interpretation Act 1978</p>

<p>The case made it clear that the same law also sets a condition, where if the letter was not received at said mailbox, or too late received, the notice is to be deemed not served. The receiver is not required to prove that the letter has not arrived in the mailbox.</p>

<p>Also, if your mail has been tampered with, you should <a href="https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/post/if-your-post-has-been-tampered-with/">contact Royal Mail</a> - they will perform an investigation and put your mailbox in order. </p>

<p>I work with <a href="http://thetenantsvoice.co.uk">tenants and landlords</a>, thus lots of official notices. In this practice, it's often a recommended action to follow up on a notice and make sure the receiver has indeed received and acknowledged the notice. I don't know if it's a legal requirement, but often in disputes (which go to arbitration by a 3rd party), if one party states they did not receive the notice and the other party can't sufficiently prove that they did everything in their power to contact and confirm the delivery of the notice, the notice is regarded as not served.</p>

<p>I believe you cannot deny post. If it's in your mailbox, it's your responsibility to check and read it.</p>
