1. In these Terms and Conditions, “you” means the PO Box or Private Bag holder(s) named in the Application. “We” means New Zealand Post Limited and our successors, assignees and authorised agents. “Our” and “us” have corresponding meanings. “Box” is used to refer to the PO Box or Private Bag you hold under this Contract..

2. If you hold a Box with us, these Terms and Conditions will apply, which together with your Application for PO Box/ Private Bag forms the ‘Contract’ we make with you for use of the Box. You must notify us immediately in writing if any of the information specified in the Application changes, for example, your address or phone number or customer category.

3. The Contract is for the rental period specified in the Application. Payment of the rental fee for the Box is deemed acceptance of the terms of the Contract.

4. Any notice to you under this Contract is sufficiently given if delivered to the email address we hold as part of your Contract or to your Box or physical billing address you have provided, at our option. Any notice to us must be delivered to us by email to [email protected] or by post to Box/Bag Administration, PO Box 38817, Wellington Mail Centre, Lower Hutt 5045.

5. The rental fee is payable in advance and is not refundable but, with our written consent, may be transferred to another Box holder. If we reasonably believe the customer category you have specified is not correct, we may change your customer category and invoice you for the rental fee appropriate to your actual usage, or may terminate the Contract under clause 10.

6. We may charge you other fees for this service. The current rental fees and customer categories, and other fees, are set out on our website at www.nzpost.co.nz/pobox We may change the amount of any fees or impose new fees if we give you 30 days’ written notice of the change.

7. For PO Boxes, we will supply you with two keys, which remain our property at all times. All keys must be returned to us if the Contract expires or is terminated. If you lose a key or do not return it, you must pay us the cost of replacing the lock and keys.

8. If the Box holder is an individual, only the person who signs the Contract will be recognised by us as the contracting party. Where the Box holder is an organisation, only that organisation will be recognised by us as the contracting party.

9. Either party may terminate the Contract at any time by giving 30 days’ notice in writing.

10. We may, by giving you notice in writing, terminate the Contract immediately or on the date specified in that notice:

1. if we believe on reasonable grounds that the Box allocated to you is being used for illegal activities;
2. if you don’t pay the rental fee, or any other fee or charge payable under the Contract, by the due date;
3. if you don’t comply with any other obligation under the Contract; or
4. if there is a dispute as to the entitlement of any person to receive the mail delivered to a Box or between joint Box holders, and the dispute is not resolved within 30 days of us being given written notice of the dispute.

11. If you terminate the Contract under clause 9, all mail addressed to your Box that we receive after the date of termination will, unless otherwise agreed, immediately be returned to sender. If we are unable to return the mail to the sender, it may be destroyed.

12. If we terminate the Contract, all mail addressed to your Box that we receive after the date of termination will be treated as follows:

1. upon termination under clause 9, 10b, or 10c, unless otherwise agreed, mail will be held at the  NZ Post location for 30 days from the date of termination. Any mail uncollected, and all mail received, after this period will be returned to sender. If we are unable to return the mail to sender, it may be destroyed.
2. upon termination under clause 10a, 10d or 18, mail will immediately be returned to sender, or dealt with in accordance with relevant legislation. If we are unable to return the mail to sender, it may be destroyed.

13. If there is a dispute as to the entitlement of any person in regard to mail delivered to a PO Box or Private Bag, or between joint Box holders, we may refuse to deliver mail to that Box until the dispute is resolved, and may terminate the Contract under clause 10d.

14. If you want to resume a Box service after the Contract has expired or been terminated, you will be required to enter into a new contract and may not necessarily be allocated the same Box address. If the same Box is allocated, you may be charged an additional fee for the resumption.

15. We may change any term of the Contract, including relocating the Box or changing the frequency of mail delivery, by giving you 30 days’ notice in writing.

16. If an unexpected event, including but not limited to a fire, flood, earthquake or unexpected closure of an agency (“Force Majeure Event”), prevents delivery to a Box, we may, on immediate notice, relocate the Box on a temporary or permanent basis to an alternative location.

17. Unless we agree in writing, you must not allow anyone else to use the Box allocated to you. The Box is only for the delivery of mail items to you – you must not put any item into the Box. You must promptly return to us any mail that is not addressed to you.

18. You must collect your mail at least once a month. If you do not, we may return uncollected mail to the sender. If we are unable to return the mail to the sender, it may be destroyed. If your mail is not collected for three consecutive months, we may cancel this Contract without notice.

19. It is your responsibility to check your mail for oversized, unpaid, short paid and signature required items. These will be available for you to collect during normal box lobby opening hours. You are responsible for paying any outstanding postage and returning to us the signature required receipts from these items.

20. Signature required items that have not been collected after 30 days, unless specified differently on the item, will be returned to the sender. If we are unable to return the mail to the sender, it may be destroyed.

21. If the addressed mail you receive, other than parcels, regularly exceeds the capacity of your PO Box, we may require you to apply for a PO Box with a larger capacity or a Private Bag and to pay us the rental fee that applies to that service.

22. If you tell a third party your Box address, you must ensure that the address you specify meets our addressing standards set out on our website at www.nzpost.co.nz/addressing

23. Information on our liability to you for loss or damage to, or delay in the delivery of, any item is set out in our Public Contract and Postal Users’ Guide. These are available for reference at New Zealand Post retail outlets and on our website at www.nzpost.co.nz/pug

24. Quarterly rental periods and quarterly direct debit payment options are only available to customers who were paying by quarterly direct debit as at 1 November 2011. If the rental period for your Box is three months:

1. the Contract will be renewed automatically if you pay the rental fee for the subsequent three month rental period by direct debit one month before the expiry of the current rental period.
2. if we do not receive the rental fee by the due date because the direct debit you have arranged is dishonoured due to insufficient funds, we will attempt a second direct debit within 7 days. If the direct debit is dishonoured for a second time, you must arrange for the payment to be received by New Zealand Post prior to the end of the rental period, by calling our Billings team on 0800 269 224.If by the end of the rental period we have not received the rental fee, the Contract will be terminated in accordance with clause 10b, and the Box closed.
3. if we do not receive the rental fee by the due date because the direct debit you have arranged is dishonoured for a reason other than insufficient funds, the Contract will be terminated in accordance with clause 10b, and the Box closed. If you wish to resume using the Box, you must sign a new Contract and pay the annual fee in advance. If the same Box is allocated, may be charged an additional fee for the resumption.
4. we will provide an annual invoice to you if you request one.

25. Pick Up and Delivery Service: A Pick Up and Delivery service can be arranged for an additional fee. Your Box will be cleared and delivered in a mail bag. Charges are set based on the number of mail bags ordered for the regular service. Any items that are too large for the mail bag will be delivered by courier at your applicable rate.

Note: Different terms apply to our virtual PO Box and Private Bag service. Refer to the virtual PO Box/Private Bag application form for these terms. To obtain a virtual PO Box/Private Bag application form, get in touch with your Business Manager.