Domain faffery

[net-curtains]

I cancelled the renewal for a clients domain, their hosting was two months overdue and they weren't responding to emails., the domain was up for renewal too so I cancelled it rather than be lumbered with yet another unpaid and unwanted domain.

Of course now the client has come back and said they do want it, and are going to send payment for their overdue invoice.

How do I now renew the domain? It's still got a few days before it runs out, but as I had to cancel the renewal it's now floating around without a registrar. It's also registered under the clients details.

TIA

[spannaa]

I didn't think you could actually cancel a domain, just it's renewal. If this is the case, and it hasn't expired, it should still appear in your registrar control panel.

Out of interest, which registrar is it?

[Rosco]

with 123-reg i've set domains domains expire (or not auto-renew) and they still appeared on my control panel for ages after they expired, with options to renew (that i never tried out), dunno if this was because they hadn't been detagged yet

I also dunno what this has got to do with the conversation, sorry

[sarahA]

Check on the domain at nic.uk or domaintools.com (depending on whether it's a UK or .com domain) and find out which registrar is still in control of it as someone needs to be. If it's a UK domain find out from the IPS Tag and then if it's still your registrar contact them if the domain isn't appearing in your control panel as the registrar will be able to put it back in there for you.

If it's a .com again find out where it's registered and contact them.

In either situation, if your domain isn't showing in your control panel then contact your registrar as they should still have control of the domain until it completely expires. If it's a .com domain however there is usually a redemption fee of around $150-200 if it's expired over 30 days ago. If it's a UK domain then you have 99 days from where it expires to renew it before it's released back into the wild.

[net-curtains]

Thanks for the replies.

I didn't think you could actually cancel a domain, just it's renewal. If this is the case, and it hasn't expired, it should still appear in your registrar control panel.

Out of interest, which registrar is it?

It's 1&1. Unlike 123-Reg where you can let them expire 1&1 require you to cancel them as part of your contract, so it's now registrar-less and doesn't appear in the control panel.

Check on the domain at nic.uk or domaintools.com (depending on whether it's a UK or .com domain) and find out which registrar is still in control of it as someone needs to be. If it's a UK domain find out from the IPS Tag and then if it's still your registrar contact them if the domain isn't appearing in your control panel as the registrar will be able to put it back in there for you.

If it's a .com again find out where it's registered and contact them.

In either situation, if your domain isn't showing in your control panel then contact your registrar as they should still have control of the domain until it completely expires. If it's a .com domain however there is usually a redemption fee of around $150-200 if it's expired over 30 days ago. If it's a UK domain then you have 99 days from where it expires to renew it before it's released back into the wild.

It's showing as 'No registrar listed'. I'll have to contact 1&1 and see what I can do, they don't have any information on their FAQ's apart from telling customers to contact support about it.

To be honest I don't really care, the organisation it belongs to are completely hopeless. The new contact there has just said she'll send a cheque for the hosting (just as well I didn't delete the website then, bearing in mind the hosting ran out two months ago), without apologising for the delay or even checking to see if the site had been removed or not.

The site was built nearly five years ago now, and never officially went live as they hadn't provided finished content and so the domain was never officially linked with the site.

Ah well, looks like I'll have to contact 1&1 support...that'll be fun!

[robwhizz]

I recently cocked up a domain. The email for renewals had been removed, so I didn't know realise it was up. Anyway, one morning when all hell broke loose in the office because our customers were telling us that their emails weren't getting through I found the problem. Phoned the registrar (Easily) and paid over the phone. Back up and running the next day.

[net-curtains]

I recently cocked up a domain. The email for renewals had been removed, so I didn't know realise it was up. Anyway, one morning when all hell broke loose in the office because our customers were telling us that their emails weren't getting through I found the problem. Phoned the registrar (Easily) and paid over the phone. Back up and running the next day.

Hopefully 1&1 will be able to claw it back. I'll wait until the client pays their bill first though.

[sarahA]

No registrar listed - that's clever on 1&1's part! You may find you need to go to Nominet and get them to change the IPS tag before 1&1 can do anything about it then (if it's a UK domain that is).

I would inform the client that as they're 2 months late there's a late payment charge and a charge for re-aquiring the domain plus any associated costs with that. You're well within your right to charge a late payment charge - http://www.payontime.co.uk/legislation/legislation_main.html

[net-curtains]

No registrar listed - that's clever on 1&1's part! You may find you need to go to Nominet and get them to change the IPS tag before 1&1 can do anything about it then (if it's a UK domain that is).

I would inform the client that as they're 2 months late there's a late payment charge and a charge for re-aquiring the domain plus any associated costs with that. You're well within your right to charge a late payment charge - http://www.payontime.co.uk/legislation/legislation_main.html

Thanks Sarah - just seen your reply, sorry.

I sent an email to 1&1 support when I started this thread, and just received a reply - only took them 2 weeks to respond. Well I'm assuming it's a response to this query, in fact they've just explained how I access my billing overview section, nothing to do with my support query but since it's the only reply I've had I guess it's for this issue.

1&1 support - 2 weeks to reply, and when they do they haven't bothered to read my query and cut and pasted and entirely unrelated FAQ.

I don't really care though, despite the client promising that they'd send the cheque 'immediately', 2 weeks later and nothing has materialised so just as well I didn't renew it.

Hosting companies, broadband providers, computer manufacturers, clients...they're all tossers.

[Ben]

1&1 support are unbelievably useless.

I'm currently looking into that late payment thing, I never though I'd really need it but a few clients are slowing up on the payment front and that could be the little poo-ey stick I've been needing.

[net-curtains]

1&1 support are unbelievably useless.

They used to be ok, about 8 years ago but support now is basically non-existent. Emails are either ignored or turn up weeks later and never answer the original query, and when I've tried phoning I usually can't get through.

On the plus side their service is pretty reliable, I've had very few issues over the years *touch wood*. If their hosting starts to match the level of support then I'd ditch them.

[spannaa]

If their support is that bad, I wouldn't be looking for a plus side, I'd be moving my sites!

[net-curtains]

If their support is that bad, I wouldn't be looking for a plus side, I'd be moving my sites!

I would do, but I make quite a lot of money out of that hosting account. Moving everything over would be time consuming and disruptive and the rehosting would be more expensive. As long as it's working ok I'm happy. If the performance drops and clients are affected then I'll move them.

I don't put any new sites on that account, and am gradually moving new builds to my reseller accounts, and never put new jobs on there.

That's the thing, overall my 1&1 hosting has had less problems than any other hosting account I've ever had. This latest faff is a domain issue and I use 123reg these days anyway.

 It's not perfect, but it's cheap, and a damn sight faster than other cheapo hosting such as Heart and Fasthosts. If they sorted out their support they'd be a contender.

[spannaa]

Fair enough.

I've had the misfortune of having to move 50+ sites a couple of times in the last few years. Each move was due to a gradual drop in reliability and each started with serious support issues.

If you've got replacement hosting available and can move the sites, databases and email quickly then you're probably OK.

[net-curtains]

I've had the misfortune of having to move 50+ sites a couple of times in the last few years. Each move was due to a gradual drop in reliability and each started with serious support issues.

A lot of the sites on there are bandwidth hungry budget forums, testing sites for my own stuff and clients with bucketloads of .pdf's. It does the job, and as you say, you can have issues with any company so I could move them somewhere that ends up less reliable.

What hosting companies did you have problems with?

I'm seriously thinking of setting up a cheap reseller account on something like Heart or Fasthosts. I get so many moans from clients about the size of their storage space and trying to compete with local design companies who're offering jucier sounding hosting specs for less money who're using Fasthosts that I might as well offer a budget service as well. I can then keep my reseller hosting for serious businesses, and offer a budget option to the plebs. I'd probably move the 1&1 stuff onto this too.

[spannaa]

What hosting companies did you have problems with?

Fasthosts, Webfusion & Supanames

I stick with smaller hosts on reliable networks these days.

[net-curtains]

What hosting companies did you have problems with?

Fasthosts, Webfusion & Supanames

Maybe I won't go with Fasthosts then...

I stick with smaller hosts on reliable networks these days.

All my other hosting accounts are with small resellers, and I'm very happy with those.

I do need a cheap and cheerful option though for clients impressed by larger storage and bandwidth facilities. At least then I can offer them the choice of quality or budget hosting.

[spannaa]

How much diskspace & bandwidth are you looking for?