Renter changed their email: can you still serve notices by email?

Last checked against official sources on 2 October 2026

Email is the quickest way to send a notice, but only if the renter has agreed to receive notices that way. Here is what to do when a renter’s details change.

What the official guidance says

Consumer Affairs Victoria lists three ways to give a notice to vacate: registered post, hand, or electronic communication such as email, if the renter has given consent. The condition is the important part. If there is no consent, email is not a safe option.

When the renter changes their email address

Consent is given for a particular address. A new address is a new question, so the cautious approach is to ask the renter to confirm consent for the new one and to keep a record of when and how they said yes. Until you have it, serve the notice by hand or registered post. This is a conservative reading rather than a quote from the guidance, so check with Consumer Affairs Victoria or a lawyer if a notice depends on it.

When a renter withdraws consent

A renter can change their mind. If they tell you, in any way, that they no longer agree to email notices, write down the date, how they told you and what they said, and stop using email for notices. Keep contacting them by email for ordinary courtesy messages only if they are happy with that.

When there is more than one renter

For a joint tenancy, the cautious approach is to have every renter’s consent before serving a notice by email, and to send the message to each renter’s own address. We are not aware of official guidance that settles this point, so treat it as a safe practice and confirm it with a lawyer.

What to keep on file

• Each renter’s name, email and phone number, and the date you last confirmed them.
• Whether each renter has consented to email notices, with the date and how.
• Any withdrawal of consent, with the date, how it was given and a note.
• When and how every notice was given, and to whom.

How VicPropGuard helps

VicPropGuard lists every renter on a tenancy with their own contact details and consent status. Changing an email address clears that renter’s consent, you can record a withdrawal with the date and method, and the notice screen blocks the email option and tells you which renter hasn’t consented. Request early access.

General information only, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm the current requirements with Consumer Affairs Victoria or a lawyer before you act.