Fatman

I'm in the middle of migrating web hosts and the old hosts are asking for a fee (don't know how much yet) in order to release the domain name. Is it normal or reasonable (or even allowed?) to charge a fee to do that?

stevencotton

Check your T's & C's, they shouldn't be allowed to. The term for changing authorative DNS is 'redelegation' and is a common admin task, not a chargable service.

ChrisB

Depends on the host IME. The really cheap ones that will do a .uk for £3 or similar are usually the ones who have clauses in like this. Last time I had to get some domains away from UK2.Net (yuk!), they charged £25 per domain IIRC.

Pay a little more, say £10 for a .uk and a decent ISP won't charge you to leave them.

Fatman

It is a .co.uk domain I'm moving. The old hosting company is supposed to be a "decent" one. Unfortunately they're hugely expensive and their staff (sales and support) are a useless bunch of muppets. I'm surprised that they're trying to squeeze a little extra cash out, but it's true to form for them, sadly. Will check the T&Cs properly.

I'd love to publically slate them but it would probably all be libellous!

Suresh

If I undertstand you right, your old host is also your registrar. Get it moved to somewhere specialised (like Joker.com where mine is) and never have to worry about it again until renewal time. You would then be able to update the DNS and move your site using online tools whenever you like for free without even telling your hosting company!

HTH

Suresh

P.S. Be sure to name and shame the host.

RichB

Hang on, some of these smaller 'people run' ISPs can't operate like the cheap as chips virtual companies, sometimes people have to get involved. Don't just slag them off cos they charge you an admin fee. Maybe when you phone them up you get to speak to someone instead of sitting on a £1 per minute phone system.......

However fatman said they are pants so bring it on

Fatman

It just stings a little when they wouldn't get in contact when we needed Support, yet they're quite happy to call up and say they need a credit card number. Anyways, I'll get a colleague to check the original paperwork for T&Cs.

Suresh: no, we didn't register the domain name with them. We registered it elsewhere and migrated to them. Is that what you mean by registrar?
RichB: The admin fee may be £1 for all I know. I don't know what the Support line costs, but I don't think it was premium-rated.

Maybe I'll do the "name & shame" thing once the domain name is out of their sweaty palms. Any tips on doing so without getting slammed by the Mods or getting sued by the firm itself?

Suresh

The registrar as I understand it is the organisation that services your ownership of the website and publishes the details on Domain Name Servers. If you do a who-is? search on your site it (google "who is") will tell you who the registrar currently is. This is the bit that you need to get control of.

My point is that an independent registrar (such as Joker) will allow you to determine which host your site URL points to. For example I was p1ssed off with HostPlus so I just signed up with another host and moved my site without asking or telling Hostplus.

Suresh

Fatman

A Nominet WhoIs indicates that we're the Registrant and that the new hosts we're migrating to are detailed as the Registrant's Agent. The Name Servers are currently those of the old host, so I guess the migration's mid-way and the DNS update is propagating.