Not everyone knows this, but sending a registered letter does not necessarily protect you in the event of a dispute with the recipient. Here’s how to overcome this problem.
Today, a large majority of communications take place by e-mail, but registered letters remain widely used in certain more official cases. It is even obligatory in certain situations, for example the termination of a residential lease, the notification of a formal notice or the contesting of a fine. It is also recommended to use it in the case of notification of unpaid alimony or in the context of a professional dispute. The registered letter has several functions: it serves in particular to give an official character to a procedure, because the recipient must sign an acknowledgment of receipt. Thus, in the event of refusal, its decision will be notified and proof of sending will allow the sender to assert its administrative procedure.
However, if there is proof of sending with the classic registered letter, there is no proof of content. Because in the event of a dispute, the recipient can always claim that the sender sent him a registered letter, but that there was nothing inside, or a blank sheet of paper, a magazine page, etc. The author of the letter will then have a hard time proving that this was not the case. The solution to escape this and protect yourself is very simple: instead of sending a traditional registered letter, simply opt for the electronic version.
“The online registered letter provides proof of posting and proof of content. The proof of content is produced in electronic format (PDF document) and makes it possible to attest to the content of the registered letter. This proof of content specifies the name of the sender and the recipient, the date of posting and the registered letter number, and the content sent. An electronic seal guarantees its authenticity” La Poste tells us. To send a registered letter online, simply download a document and write your letter directly using the letter templates provided. The Post Office then prints the letter and delivers it by hand to the recipient.
The online registered letter is useful in cases where the content of the letter has an important legal value (formal notice, termination of contract, legal or regulatory notification, communication between professionals, contract, litigation). In the event of a dispute, there is therefore proof that the mail contains the elements indicated by the sender, who will be able to find and recover this famous proof of content via the service he used. And this for a certain period of time: for example, La Poste keeps it in the customer area for a period of one year.
