9 Paper Notifications That Are Going Digital

Formal notifications that require proof of delivery and/or acknowledgement of receipt can now be registered digitally and delivered “in writing”¹ to the recipient. Here are some traditionally paper-based notifications that can be sent via Registered digital channels:

1. Debt collection – Send a defaulting debtor a letter of demand and Section 129 notification in terms of the National Credit Act 34 of 2005.
2. Change in the terms and conditions of a contract – Prove that a customer has received updated term and conditions or a new agreement.
3. Contract and/or Mandate management² – Whether you have a recorded verbal agreement or somebody signing up via digital channels, a customer needs to be sent a copy of the mandate or contract.
4. Invoice delivery – If your customer says they haven’t received their invoice, then they cannot and will not pay.
5. Notifications to a tenant³ – If your tenant hasn’t paid, send them a breach of contract notification via Registered Email. A second Registered Email should be sent if the tenant fails to make payment after the breach of contract letter was sent, to cancel the lease agreement and to demand the tenant vacate the property immediately.
6. Infringement notices – issue infringement notices require proof of delivery.
7. Surrender of Goods notifications – when a consumer is no longer able to pay for the item they purchased, they may surrender the goods to the credit provider to resell in order to part-pay the debt. Two notifications are required by law in this process. Click here for more information.
8. Absconding employee – the CCMA requires four formal notifications to be delivered to an employee who doesn’t come to work without notifying the company. For more details on this process, click here.
9. Cancellation of contract – Battling to cancel a contract?⁴ Give a company notice, in writing, via Registered Email and we’ll provide third party verification that you have cancelled the contract.

Registered Email is a fast and effective channel to deliver a notification with third party validation. Both the sender and recipient receive a Registration Certificate  proving that the digital notification was received.

Sources:

¹ Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (25 of 2002) Sect 12 “in writing” allows the electronic registration process to adhere to all relevant legislation, including:

National Credit Act (35 of 2005) – “NCA”
Credit Amendment Act (19 of 2014) – “NCAA”
Magistrates Court Amendment Act (19 of 2010)
Short-Term Insurance Act (1998) – “STI”
Policy Holder Protection Rules (2004) – “PPR”

² https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/how-the-new-consumer-law-protects-you-1020996

³ https://www.property24.com/articles/is-your-tenant-not-paying-follow-these-5-steps/22008

⁴ The Struggle To Cancel A Telkom Contract