Law of Property Act 1925

196 Regulations respecting notices. E+W

(1) Any notice required or authorised to be served or given by this Act shall be in writing.

(2) Any notice required or authorised by this Act to be served on a lessee or mortgagor shall be sufficient, although only addressed to the lessee or mortgagor by that designation, without his name, or generally to the persons interested, without any name, and notwithstanding that any person to be affected by the notice is absent, under disability, unborn, or unascertained.

(3) Any notice required or authorised by this Act to be served shall be sufficiently served if it is left at the last-known place of abode or business in the United Kingdom of the lessee, lessor, mortgagee, mortgagor, or other person to be served, or, in case of a notice required or authorised to be served on a lessee or mortgagor, is affixed or left for him on the land or any house or building comprised in the lease or mortgage, or, in case of a mining lease, is left for the lessee at the office or counting-house of the mine.

(4) Any notice required or authorised by this Act to be served shall also be sufficiently served, if it is sent by post in a registered letter addressed to the lessee, lessor, mortgagee, mortgagor, or other person to be served, by name, at the aforesaid place of abode or business, office, or counting-house, and if that letter is not returned [F1 by the postal operator (within the meaning of [F2 Part 3 of the Postal Services Act 2011]) concerned] undelivered; and that service shall be deemed to be made at the time at which the registered letter would in the ordinary course be delivered.

(5) The provisions of this section shall extend to notices required to be served by any instrument affecting property executed or coming into operation after the commencement of this Act unless a contrary intention appears.

(6) This section does not apply to notices served in proceedings in the court.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 196(4) substituted (26.3.2001) by S.I. 2001/1149, art. 3(1), Sch 1 para. 7

F2 Words in s. 196(4) substituted (1.10.2011) by Postal Services Act 2011 (c. 5), s. 93(2)(3), Sch. 12 para. 75; S.I. 2011/2329, art. 3

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 196 extended by Leasehold Property (Repairs) Act 1938 (c. 34), s. 7(2); applied by Reserve and Auxiliary Forces (Protection of Civil Interests) Act 1951 (c. 65), s. 29(6)

C2 S. 196(3)(4) modified by Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 (c. 31, SIF 75:1), s. 49

C3 S. 196(4) amended by Recorded Delivery Service Act 1962 (c. 27), s. 1, Sch.