Domain reseller gone, what about my domains?

chandrika · #1 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 06:06 AM

Hi,
I regsitered all my domain names at uk-cheapest.co.uk and they have been there for several years and have always been ok. However recently I neededto change the nameservers and did so in my domain control panel, but the changes 7 days later still are not made.

The reseller, uk-cheapest does not respond to any support tickets or emails and I have contacted directly the registrar resellone.net to see if they can do somethin, but am getting no response from them either.

Its like these 2 companies have just stopped operating and the sites are still up ad they are still accepting payments, as I tried to transfer the domains elsewhere and their site took the money to do it, but again, nohing happened.

I contacted ICANN who told me to contact Verisign, who told me to contact the registrar and so on I am being sent in circles.

Does anyone know if there is a way to get back control of my domains. One in particular I really dont wan to lose as oe the years it has good SE rankings and I would lose traffic and business to change it now I believe.

But I have moved my sites to a new host and need to change the nameservers, so how can I go about managing them if the reseller and registrar both are unavailable?

I want to transfer them to a decent domain host like enom now, but I cant do that without the current reseller or registrar unlockig them and sending me authorisation EPP codes, which they arent doing.

Can I go over their heads as I do have proof of them belonging to me.

This whole matter is making me dizzy from being sent in circles, so any advice...or even some sympathy

...would be greatly appreciated.

hostBrain · #2 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 11:35 AM

Yes, I feel your pain... pain in the neck, i know

The problem with the domain business, is there is very little margins. Small margins means cutting costs.. cutting costs means not enough support staff ...

Since resellone.net is the main registrar, just keep bugging them, I'm sure eventually they will respond.

**incrediblehelp** · #3 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 01:14 PM

I cant believe you cant even call them.

kgun · #4 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chandrika

Hi,
I regsitered all my domain names at uk-cheapest.co.uk and they have been there for several years and have always been ok. However recently I neededto change the nameservers and did so in my domain control panel, but the changes 7 days later still are not made.

The reseller, uk-cheapest does not respond to any support tickets or emails and I have contacted directly the registrar resellone.net to see if they can do somethin, but am getting no response from them either.

Don't they have a phone number? Generally, may be too late advice, Use a Rgistrar you can drive to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chandrika

Hi,
Its like these 2 companies have just stopped operating and the sites are still up ad they are still accepting payments, as I tried to transfer the domains elsewhere and their site took the money to do it, but again, nohing happened.

I contacted ICANN who told me to contact Verisign, who told me to contact the registrar and so on I am being sent in circles.

I used one year and 100's of emails to move one of my domain name's name services to a Norwegian hoster. That was one of the experiences that made me write the article linked to above, "Advice for ......

Quote:

Originally Posted by chandrika

Hi,

Does anyone know if there is a way to get back control of my domains. One in particular I really dont wan to lose as oe the years it has good SE rankings and I would lose traffic and business to change it now I believe.

DNS Stuff: DNS tools, DNS hosting tests, WHOIS, traceroute, ping, and other network and domain name tools. A tool you can use to print out information about your and their domains. They also have a forum.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chandrika

Hi,
But I have moved my sites to a new host and need to change the nameservers, so how can I go about managing them if the reseller and registrar both are unavailable?

I want to transfer them to a decent domain host like enom now, but I cant do that without the current reseller or registrar unlockig them and sending me authorisation EPP codes, which they arent doing.

Does you not have control over the nameservices yourself? Can you not log into an account and administer them yourself?

Quote:

Originally Posted by chandrika

Hi,
Can I go over their heads as I do have proof of them belonging to me.

Yes, you can. There must be an authority in UK that you can contact. In the worst case:

Send an email that you will post their names on different forums on the internet.
If that does not function, send an ordinary letter with the same information. If they still do not answer, contact a lawyer.

bj · #5 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 04:52 PM

This might help you, but you first must try to resolve it and have a "paper trail" that you did so:
ICANN | Accreditation Overview

I'd also try first to transfer the domains in question to a different registrar. I've been dealing with namecheap.com and found them to be easy to work with, and they've been around for a lotta years.

If the names won't transfer, and/or the registrar's interface doesn't work to unlock them, and you can document this (screenshots, maybe?) then you have something with which you can file a complaint with icann.

btw, you said:

Quote:

as I tried to transfer the domains elsewhere and their site took the money to do it, but again, nohing happened.

You don't pay the registrar you're transferring away from, you pay the registrar you're transferring to.

Matteo · #6 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 05:05 PM

BJ has the right of it.
Transfer the Domains using a top of the line registrar like Godaddy then they will fight to wrest control of the domains from the uks Cheapsh..cheapest provider

StevenRB · #7 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chandrika

... the sites are still up ad they are still accepting payments, as I tried to transfer the domains elsewhere and their site took the money to do it, but again, nohing happened.

As BJ noted, you got off track somehow if you sent RESELLONE.NET more money to effect a transfer.

You need to find a registrar (or a registration service provider) that is NOT affiliated with RESELLONE.NET. This new service provider will "receive" your domain if a transfer ever happens.

If a transfer is not effected, the "receiving" service provider (if legitimate) should not charge you.

Good luck ... and make sure that you never again have an a hosting company or domain registration outfit as the 'admin' contact in your domain records!

SRB

webreporter · #8 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 05:08 PM

Your best bet is to transfer the domains to another registrar, one that you know will be around for a while.... or to the actual company that issued your registrar their resellers permit. You will need to contact their customer support directly and let them know under what circumstances you are attempting the transfer. More than likely you will need to fax them photocopies your identification card(s) to verify yourself.

Years ago, I registered my domain names using an email address that I no longer had access to. Network Solutions wanted email verification at that time in order to process a contact information change. It took them about four weeks for them to process my new email address, but they wanted me to fax them all the pertinent info to get the ball rolling.

Today's customer service from registrars is much improved, so you probably won't have as much of a nightmare situation as I did. The issues obviously are different, but the processes to remedy them are similar.

georgeruch · #9 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 05:30 PM

You get what you pay for , shoulda used networksolutions.com they seem to be the best.
George

ndibs · #10 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 05:46 PM

Same thing happened to me a number of years ago with a local (Australian) reseller for enom called MyDomainsBiz.com - after repeated emails and unanswered phonecalls I called enom in the US who said that it was strictly between myself and the reseller.
I then found a reputable local host who wasn't a reseller and arranged the transfer which occurred when my subscription with MyDomainsBiz.com expired which was 6-months from the paid-up date ( I was sweating on the date and checking daily around that time). Also until I had control restored with our new host, I had no control to make changes, etc.
Luckily for me I've the sort of business' that require infrequent changes/updates to be made and I've got so busy with my core business that I haven't had a chance to get at the websites in a long time.

BTW - the reseller has recently phoenixed and had the hide to send me an unsolicited promotion of the services that they provide. As unsolicited promotions are forbidden by law here (the SPAM Act), my response to them was a bit colourful and their promotional email was forwarded to the regulator for action.

bj · #11 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 06:07 PM

You might get some ideas on how to deal with this if you google "Registerfly"

Amazing their website still comes up first on Google, given this history--

Registerflies.com - Domain Name and Webmaster Community

halfmexi · #12 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgeruch

You get what you pay for , shoulda used networksolutions.com they seem to be the best.
George

Gimmie a break! You don't get what you pay for with Network Solutions - and sometimes they even help you to get your domains stolen by others (before the days of domain locking...). GoDaddy is safe - just don't host with them...

zee · #13 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 07:34 PM

hi . no problem , nominet....Nominet UK also lookup forum at acorndomains.co.uk . ppersonally , I use 123reg.co.uk for over 700 domains ,no problem
hope this sorts it out 'zee'

1stgirl.com · #14 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 08:37 PM

I lost a number of good Chinese domains (.cn, hk.cn) and Indian domains (.in) because the resellers just disappeared and the Chinese and Indian Domains Authority ignored all my emails for assistance.

angelmom3 · #15 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by halfmexi

GoDaddy is safe - just don't host with them...

Why is that - I've had my site hosted on GoDaddy for 3 years now with no problems what-so-ever??

Sue

Loving Hands Boutique

bj · #16 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Why is that - I've had my site hosted on GoDaddy for 3 years now with no problems what-so-ever??

I bet you run a static html site instead of a scripted site off a database. GoDaddy is notorious for having crappy mysql access and an awful response time for database driven sites. That's if you can get them working at all. Just google "godaddy hosting" and feast your eyes. Run the name over at Web Hosting Talk - The largest, most influential web hosting community on the Internet and you'll get the same eyeful.

They are more or less okay for domains, but the interface is needlessly complicated and they keep trying to sell you all kinds of other services. I'd rather pay 80 cents more a year and have a good interface with a registrar who doesn't CALL ME AT HOME TO TRY TO SELL ME STUFF (which is when I transferred my domain names off godaddy.)

chandrika · #17 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 10:17 PM

Thanks for all the advice. Much appreciated.

I did manage to find that resellone.net, the registrar is actually Everyones Internet, aka theplanet.com and they have plenty of points of contact, so I am getting hopeful I can sort this out and I can get my domains away from uk-cheapest.

Having looked at Companies House, I think maybe the company uk-cheapest has gone under but they have left the website up accepting payments and stuff.

So hopefully Everyones Internet will sort it out and thanks for the comments and article links, which I am going to sit and read now, so that when I do get to transfer them , I will know what to look for with regard to where I put them.

angelmom3 · #18 (**permalink**) 08-07-2007, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bj

I bet you run