SmartCheck
Certifying that you said what you said
When what needs proving is not a document but a notice.
Some communications are not documents and still need proving: notice of a cost overrun, notice of a defect, a warning that a deadline will slip. They get disputed just like a contract, and usually with less evidence behind them.
What exactly gets certified
What it does not certify is that the other party agreed. That needs their signature, which is a different and stronger thing.
Notify or get it signed
| If what you are communicating... | Do this |
|---|---|
| Is informative and changes nothing | Notify; the send record is enough |
| May have financial consequences | Certify the communication |
| Modifies what was agreed | Send it for signature, not as a notice |
Important
Certifying a communication does not replace notification methods required by a contract or a rule. If your contract says communications go through a specific channel, that channel remains mandatory; this is additional evidence, not a shortcut.
Watch out
Certify the text you actually sent, not a summary of what you remember sending. A reconstructed text proves nothing and, if the original turns up and differs, it weakens your position.
Worth knowing
The most useful thing is usually the dullest: certifying, at the time, the email warning about the delay — not the fifty-page report at the end.
›Is it the same as recorded delivery?
They are different things and worth asking your adviser about for your case. This proves content and date; recorded delivery adds a postal operator.
›Can I certify it days later?
You can, but the certified date is today's. If it matters, do it the same day.
›Can the other party check it?
Yes, with no account, on the public verification page.
A real case
The situation
A builder tells a client that a design change will increase costs.
What you do
- Certifies the email the same day it is sent
What you get
When the overrun is disputed four months later, the date and the text do not rest on their word.
The situation
A warning was given by phone and there is no record.
What you do
- Sends the warning in writing and seals it
What you get
The warning stops depending on two memories.
The situation
A warning was emailed and the other side says it never arrived.
What you do
- Seals the send with its date
What you get
It is on record when it was communicated.
The situation
Warning comes late and you want to prove it was given.
What you do
- Seals the warning the day it goes out
What you get
The warning's date is beyond dispute.
The situation
The warning goes to the wrong recipient.
What you do
- Checks the recipient before sealing
What you get
The seal proves something useful.
The situation
Every email is sealed out of habit.
What you do
- Seals the warnings that could be disputed
What you get
The history stays manageable.
This article answers
- prove i sent an important notice
- certify an email
- proof that i communicated something
- digital alternative to recorded delivery