What Is a Letter Notice?

A letter notice is a formal written document that is issued to an individual with the intention of informing, announcing, or relaying a particularly important subject. There are many different types of letter notices and the most common ones involve employment and eviction issues.     

A recent study by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States has revealed that an average of 2.7 million households are faced with the threat of eviction each year. 

Types of Notices

A notice can come in different forms, but a letter notice is perhaps one of the most common notice formats. And a letter notice can serve multiple purposes or have different objectives. The following are just some of the most common types of letter notice.  

Eviction Notice. An eviction notice is typically found in the real estate or property management industries. A landlord or a property management officer issues a tenant, or the one who is renting and living on the property, an eviction notice following a series of warnings and/or inaction of previous rental notices. An eviction notice is generally considered the last resort or the final act. It is typically preceded by other notices such as rental or late payment letter notices. There can be a variety of reasons why tenants are handed eviction notices. Reasons can be both valid and invalid. Criminal or illicit activity are usually grounds for immediate eviction. But in a lot of cases, failure to pay rent or consistent late payments is the reason for eviction. Then again, any arrangement or agreement is usually subject to property rules or the landlord’s discretion. Resignation Notice. In the workplace, employees come and go. Many individuals resign from companies because they have found better offers or better employment opportunities. When this is the case, it is standard protocol to issue a resignation letter or notice to inform the company of one’s departure. If the separation is voluntary, a few weeks notice is required. The standard is usually at least a 30-day notice or in other cases, a two-week’s notice. But in special cases, immediate resignation is granted if the reason is justifiable. The reason for giving a month’s notice or a sufficient grace period is to give the company or organization enough time to adjust or handle transition. The time can be used to look for a replacement, train a new hire, or simply to turnover the outgoing employee’s tasks and documents. Warning Notice. A warning notice can come in various shapes and sizes and can also differ in severity. A common reason for issuing a written warning notice is for disciplinary reasons. Of course, every structured organization or company has a set of rules they expect their members or employees to observe. But when disciplinary cases arise, a company may have several ways of dealing with it. One common way is to issue a warning. The warning may be written or verbal, depending on the degree of severity. If the offense is minor or not that grave, a warning letter is normally handed to the erring employee. A series of warnings may even be issued, in case the first warning is not heeded. Whether it is due to negligence or there was really an intent to harm, a warning letter is considered a professional and fair response to a mistake or an offense. Payment Notice. Anyone can receive a payment notice. It is merely a written reminder to pay your dues or any pending financial transaction. Whether a tenant is past his rental due date, a bank needs to collect a check from a client, or if a business owner owes a supplier money for services rendered, a payment notice could land on someone’s desk in any of these scenarios. Failure to address the payment notice may result in various fines or penalties. For example, a bank may impose late fees or issue a penalty to a client who consistently falls behind their payments. And aside from the reminder to pay one’s dues, a written payment notice may also come with a list of terms and conditions that the recipient must adhere to or follow lest they want to face penalties or other consequences for non-payment.

What to Do If You Receive a Notice?

If you are at the receiving end of a letter notice, you should not panic or jump to conclusions. There is usually a valid reason for receiving one. And sometimes, people do need to be reminded of their responsibilities. If you receive a written notice letter, make sure you do at least one of the following in order to settle the issue.  

Act on the Notice. If you end up receiving a letter notice for whatever reason, the best and most obvious response is to act on it. Simply ignoring it or neglecting the responsibility will not make it go away. And the longer you put it off or prolong the appropriate action, the longer it will remain with you. For others, it can feel as if something will always be nagging or hovering above you if you constantly avoid dealing with it. If you need to pay overdue rent or a credit card bill, it is best to settle it as soon as possible otherwise it can accrue over time and the longer you put it off. For warning or disciplinary letter notices, it is best to maintain a level-head and objective view of the issue. Making a bigger issue out of it or taking it too personally can only make it worse. And if you need help finding a solution, reach out to a trusted colleague or a direct supervisor. Question the Notice. Just because you are a recipient of a written notice, it does not necessarily mean you just accept it at face value. Especially if the grounds for issuing the letter notice are questionable, you are entitled to an explanation if the notice does not give a rational or sufficient reason. Asking the issuer to expound on the reason for the letter notice could help to clarify the issue. But also note that it is important to question the notice in a professional manner. Coming off as demanding or vindictive can aggravate the situation and does not help either party. Clarifying the issue using the proper channels can help settle any misunderstanding or miscommunication, should there be any. Further, the one issuing the formal letter notice should always leave their contact information in case the recipient may have questions or clarifications regarding the matter. Seek Legal Action. If questioning the letter notice proves to be fruitless and you still have doubts about the claim being made, there are legal avenues you can take. This should be seen as a last resort or a final straw and only if you’ve run out of options. But if it does reach a point where your rights are in question, it would be best to seek out a legal or professional opinion. You can consult a legal or authority figure for professional advice if you want to come up with an informed and sound decision. However, taking this route does have its pros and cons. One of the most obvious cons is that seeking legal action or services will require resources, energy, and effort. Filing a lawsuit or taking things to court can certainly complicate things and drain your pockets when compared to just settling the issue internally.

How to Create a Letter Notice

The format of a letter notice is just as important as the contents of the letter. And if you are short on time and need to craft a letter notice immediately, using a ready-made template is the most practical choice. Simply choose any of the templates above that suits your needs and follow the step-by-step instruction guide below.   

Step 1: Decide on the Purpose and Format

The first step in crafting a letter notice is to establish its purpose and format. As discussed earlier, a letter notice can have different objectives. Whether it is to settle a late payment or to inform a delinquent client, you need to have a clear objective or purpose in mind before writing your letter. As for the format, a formal notice letter is typically not that long. As much as possible, it should be straight to the point and should contain only relevant and useful information. A single page letter will do; but make sure that the sections are clearly divided and easily comprehensible to the reader. For instance, you can start with a brief introduction or greeting then move directly to the body or the main point of the letter.     

Step 2: Include the Basic Information

The next step is to outline all the basic information. Since the notice is in letter format, you need to provide the recipient’s details. Include the date, complete name, and address of the recipient. If you are addressing your letter notice to a direct supervisor or manager, you can include their designation or office under their name as well. Make sure to address them professionally in your greeting or in the introductory section too by using the appropriate salutation. And if you need a blueprint or guide on how to do this, simply browse the template selection above for ideas. 

Step 3: Enumerate the Terms and Conditions

An important section in a letter notice is the terms and conditions. After stating your purpose for sending the letter notice in the introduction, the next step is to enumerate the different terms and conditions. Rarely do formal notices come without certain conditions. Whether it is a specific deadline or a list of demands and consequences, terms should be clear, fair, and reasonable. Terms are important because they help manage expectations and they help clarify what needs to be done in relation to the matter. However, if the recipient fails to act on the notice or does not agree to certain terms, then it becomes another issue.    

Step 4: Provide Contact Details 

After laying out the terms and conditions, the last step is to provide working contact details. There are cases where a tenant or employee may feel the need to seek clarification upon receiving the letter notice. Thus, it is important to have an avenue to address this. This section can serve as an apt closing statement or conclusion. It is important to reassure the recipient that you are open to questions and welcome any clarifications that he or she may have. Along with your complete name, indicate your email address, landline, mobile number and an alternative contact number just in case. 

FAQ

How do I write a letter of notice?

To create a letter of notice, indicate the recipient’s basic information, state the reason for receiving the notice, enumerate the terms (if applicable) and provide your contact details.

What is an official notice letter?

An official notice letter is a formal letter informing an individual about a particular situation (e.g., work notice) or reminding them of a pending requirement (e.g., notice of late payment).

How do I write a letter of notice for a customer?

Address the customer professionally using the proper letter format and make the letter of notice short and direct to the point.

A letter notice should be professional and straightforward. The letter has to be firm, objective and it should serve a clear purpose. Browse the wide selection of free and editable templates above, choose one that suits your needs, and customize your own letter notice today!