Property 101: Landlords warned on changes to postal deliv...

Property 101: Landlords warned on changes to postal delivery times for rental notices

Property ObserverDecember 7, 2020

Australia Post has warned recent changes to domestic postage delivery times may interrupt normal mail delivery speeds, possibly affecting the time it takes for residential tenancy notices to be delivered.

Australia Post introducing three different mail delivery speeds on January 4 - express, priority and regular, and warned documents such as notices to vacate, according to the Residential Tenancies Act, must be sent through registered post or be delivered by hand.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal has warned landlords and managing agents in other states must check how changes will impact notification requirements.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal produced a comprehensive table (below) to help calculate the minimum days to allow for postage.

Total minimum days to calculate earliest termination date

Residential tenancies

By regular registered post

Minimum notice period	Posted Sunday or Monday	Posted Tuesday to Friday	Posted Saturday
None	5	7	6
14 days	20	22	21
28 days	34	36	35
30 days	36	38	37
60 days	66	68	67
90 days	96	98	97
120 days	126	128	127

By priority registered post

Minimum notice period	Posted Sunday to Wednesday	Posted Thursday or Friday	Posted Saturday
None	3	5	4
14 days	18	20	19
28 days	32	34	33
30 days	34	36	35
60 days	64	66	65
90 days	94	96	95
120 days	124	126	125

Given by hand

Minimum notice period	Given on any day
None	-
14 days	16
28 days	30
30 days	32
60 days	62
90 days	92
120 days	122

Rooming houses

By regular registered post

Minimum notice period	Posted Sunday or Monday	Posted Tuesday to Friday	Posted Saturday
None	5	7	6
2 days	8	10	9
28 days	34	36	35
30 days	36	38	37
60 days	66	68	67
90 days	96	98	97
120 days	126	128	127

By priority registered post

Minimum notice period	Posted Sunday or Monday	Posted Tuesday or Wednesday	Posted Thursday or Friday	Posted Saturday
None	5	7	7	6
2 days	6	6	8	7
28 days	32	32	34	33
30 days	34	34	36	35
60 days	64	64	66	65
90 days	94	94	96	95
120 days	124	124	126	125

Given by hand

Minimum notice period	Given on any day
None	-
2 days	4
28 days	30
30 days	32
60 days	62
90 days	92
120 days	122

Caravan parks

By regular registered post

Minimum notice period	Posted Sunday or Monday	Posted Tuesday to Friday	Posted Saturday
None	5	7	6
7 days	13	15	14
14 days	20	22	21
28 days	34	36	35
30 days	36	38	37
60 days	66	68	67
90 days	96	98	97
120 days	126	128	127
6 months	6 months + 6	6 months + 8	6 months + 7

Note: The six month period is calculated simply as six months + the required postal period and first available termination date.

By priority registered post

Minimum notice period	Posted Sunday or Monday	Posted Tuesday or Wednesday	Posted Thursday or Friday	Posted Saturday
None	3	3	5	4
7 days	13	15	15	14
14 days	18	18	20	19
28 days	32	32	34	33
30 days	34	34	36	35
60 days	64	64	66	65
90 days	94	94	96	95
120 days	124	124	126	125
6 months	6 months + 4	6 months + 4	6 months + 6	6 months + 5