27th October 2023
27th October 2023
This guide will explain the process for sending a letter in the United Kingdom. A letter may be sent:
Before sending a letter via post, the letter should be signed and dated to reflect the date of posting. The most common way to send a hard copy of a letter within the UK is via Royal Mail.
It is possible to buy a stamp and send a letter via a postbox. If a letter is sent via a postbox with a stamp, there will be no proof of postage and no formal tracking information. There are different services available via Royal Mail. It is possible to:
In order to receive proof of postage or tracking information, a letter must be sent via the Post Office or via the online Royal Mail sending service. Proof of postage will take the form of a physical receipt or an electronic receipt (such as an email) which will show the date upon which the letter has been sent.
The Royal Mail website also provides information about pricing and the different methods of sending a letter.
It is possible to send letters via other private delivery couriers. These couriers usually provide a tracked service. Some businesses are signed up to DX, which is a professional courier service. It is also possible to hold a Royal Mail business account.
There are a wide range of circumstances where it can be very helpful to obtain proof that a letter has been sent in the post and/or to have proof of delivery. This proof can help where:
The main drawback of tracked services is the additional time and expense involved. In most circumstances, it will be for the sender to decide which method they believe to be appropriate. This will depend on the type of proof they would like and the cost involved.
There are however certain circumstances where it will be obligatory to send a letter via a particular postage method. If a letter is sent in relation to a contract or legal provision, the contract or legal provision may specify that letters relating to the contract or legal provision must be sent via a particular method of postage*.
Some organisations and businesses will specify that they will only receive correspondence in relation to specific issues, such as complaints, via certain delivery methods. It is always essential to read any terms and conditions which might be relevant to the sending of the letter.
A letter which is sent in accordance with a contract or legal process is often referred to as a notice. Sending a formal legal letter is referred to as service. A contract will commonly have a section titled 'notices' or 'service of documents' which will specify how letters must be sent to the other party.
Hand delivery (also known as personal delivery) involves the situation where the sender personally delivers a hard copy of a letter to the recipient and does not use any postal service. Where this method is used, the letter should be signed and dated to reflect the date upon which personal delivery will be attempted.
A person may decide to hand deliver a letter out of preference and convenience. For example, this can be a very common method in an employment setting where both the sender and recipient work in the same building.
For hand-delivered letters, it is not always essential to obtain proof of delivery although sometimes a sender may wish to obtain this. This can be obtained by obtaining a signature from the recipient. There is generally no fixed rule about the nature of the proof obtained but a simple way to obtain this is to invite the recipient to sign a duplicate copy of the letter to confirm the date of receipt. Obtaining a signature from the recipient can be beneficial to avoid any future disputes about whether the letter was delivered or about the date of delivery.
If a notice is sent in accordance with a contract or some other legal process, personal delivery may be permitted as a method under the contract or legal rules. There may be specific requirements applicable to the process of personal delivery and the permitted format of the proof of postage in those circumstances. For example, if the recipient is an incorporated body (such as a company), a contract or legal process will generally state how personal delivery must be effected and the identity of any persons authorised to receive the notice on behalf of the incorporated body.
It is possible to send a letter via email. A sender may
(1) Attach a copy of the letter as a PDF to an email.
(2) Copy and paste the contents of the letter they have created into the body of an email.
The first option is usually the most appropriate for more formal letters and notices. If this option is chosen, the letter can be electronically signed.
An electronic signature is a way of signifying a signature in an electronic document in order to perform the same function as a manual signature. Usually, for the purposes of a simple letter, the main formality which must be satisfied is that person signing the letter must intend to authenticate the document. An electronic signature can be admissible in legal proceedings. An electronic signature can take different formats but commonly this could include typing a name at the bottom of the letter. More information about electronic signatures is available on the Law Commission website.
Sending a letter by email can be a cheaper and more expeditious option. It can also be helpful as it is easy to retain proof that the email has been sent, although it is always possible for a recipient to argue that an email has not been received. A sender may choose to request a read receipt by using this function via their email provider, which can help to address this issue.
There are lots of situations where it can be appropriate to send a letter via email. As above, if a letter is sent in relation to a contract or other legal process, it is important to check the relevant provisions to ensure that electronic service is permitted. An organisation may specify that it will only receive correspondence in relation to specific issues, such as complaints, via post.