Many small (and big businesses), organisation's and even individuals (like blogger's) rely on the service of a website designer to provide internet site maintenance and website hosting. So what happens when your web designer goes missing?
This actually can be more serious than you may well think. By sharing a latest experience, hopefully it'll provide insight into the possible difficulties.
Situation
I was approached by a client whose current web site designer, who was also providing hosting, had advised that they were ceasing to trade to pursue other interests. The website designer had been very truthful about this on their own internet site and advising that they would provide support to current customers to transfer to a new provider. This included listing email addresses, mobile and landline telephone numbers.
I agreed to take on the site and set about the work to transfer the domain to my web hosting service so we could transfer the site.
The customer supplied access to their Control Panel that permitted me to access the web site files, email accounts, for example. Nevertheless it did not permit the change of domain TAG or nameservers to transfer the website hosting.
Issues
When I looked at the site I realised that it had been developed using a CMS (content management system), meaning that I could not just copy the source files to upload to the new web hosting account.
The client did not have the required log-ins, passwords to use the CMS to enable the back up of database, source files, etc in order that they might be transferred.
It became very clear that we'd need the support of the present website designer to help aid the transfer of domain and web site files.
I sent two emails to the website designer asking for clarification on what package was used to develop the internet site and if they could make the changes to the domain TAG and nameservers. Unfortunately no reply.
I asked the customer to contact the customer. Again no response.
Over a considerable number of days, many attempts by the client a myself were made to contact the web site designer. Unfortunately no reply.
I then tried calling and leaving voice messages on the listed numbers. I even sent some SMS messages to the mobile.
At that point I was getting extremely concerned , especially as the domain was due for renewal at the end of April and did not want the customer to risk losing the domain name.
Luckily , the web site name had been registered in the clients name, not the web designer. This permitted me to contact Nominet (the United Kingdom registry of .uk domains).
They were extremely helpful and could see the domain was in the clients''s name and confirmed that it might be possible to use the "Reestablish Identity Process" to regain control of the domain. This is a great service that allows the domain owner (or their web site designer) to apply to regain control of the their domain. The service costs £10+vat and so long as a suitable document on headed paper can be produced confirming the privilege to the domain, Nominet will permit the owner to recover control.
Luckily , just as the customer and myself were going to go down the route of "Reestablishing Identity", the site design got in touch, changed the TAG and I transferred the domain to my service.
Sadly, while this process was going on, I did have to redesign the website for the client as I didn't think that we would obtain access to the old web site.
Closing thoughts
This is a genuine world example. So so as to try and protect your domain and website:
- Always ask for the domain to be registered in your own name
- Ask for all of the required log-ins to Control Panel's, online products used to develop your website (i.e. WordPress, Joomla, etc)
- Ask about the web designers policy for transferring your site
The 1st point is really important. If the domain is registered in your website designers name they're the legal owner, you can not use the "Restablish Identity Process". This may then require you using the Nominet Dispute process (which can sometimes be extremely dear dependent on the level of enquiry) or the small claims court. All very time intensive, expensive and nerve-wrangling.
Read similar practical articles on my blog, Web Design Colchester.
This actually can be more serious than you may well think. By sharing a latest experience, hopefully it'll provide insight into the possible difficulties.
Situation
I was approached by a client whose current web site designer, who was also providing hosting, had advised that they were ceasing to trade to pursue other interests. The website designer had been very truthful about this on their own internet site and advising that they would provide support to current customers to transfer to a new provider. This included listing email addresses, mobile and landline telephone numbers.
I agreed to take on the site and set about the work to transfer the domain to my web hosting service so we could transfer the site.
The customer supplied access to their Control Panel that permitted me to access the web site files, email accounts, for example. Nevertheless it did not permit the change of domain TAG or nameservers to transfer the website hosting.
Issues
When I looked at the site I realised that it had been developed using a CMS (content management system), meaning that I could not just copy the source files to upload to the new web hosting account.
The client did not have the required log-ins, passwords to use the CMS to enable the back up of database, source files, etc in order that they might be transferred.
It became very clear that we'd need the support of the present website designer to help aid the transfer of domain and web site files.
I sent two emails to the website designer asking for clarification on what package was used to develop the internet site and if they could make the changes to the domain TAG and nameservers. Unfortunately no reply.
I asked the customer to contact the customer. Again no response.
Over a considerable number of days, many attempts by the client a myself were made to contact the web site designer. Unfortunately no reply.
I then tried calling and leaving voice messages on the listed numbers. I even sent some SMS messages to the mobile.
At that point I was getting extremely concerned , especially as the domain was due for renewal at the end of April and did not want the customer to risk losing the domain name.
Luckily , the web site name had been registered in the clients name, not the web designer. This permitted me to contact Nominet (the United Kingdom registry of .uk domains).
They were extremely helpful and could see the domain was in the clients''s name and confirmed that it might be possible to use the "Reestablish Identity Process" to regain control of the domain. This is a great service that allows the domain owner (or their web site designer) to apply to regain control of the their domain. The service costs £10+vat and so long as a suitable document on headed paper can be produced confirming the privilege to the domain, Nominet will permit the owner to recover control.
Luckily , just as the customer and myself were going to go down the route of "Reestablishing Identity", the site design got in touch, changed the TAG and I transferred the domain to my service.
Sadly, while this process was going on, I did have to redesign the website for the client as I didn't think that we would obtain access to the old web site.
Closing thoughts
This is a genuine world example. So so as to try and protect your domain and website:
- Always ask for the domain to be registered in your own name
- Ask for all of the required log-ins to Control Panel's, online products used to develop your website (i.e. WordPress, Joomla, etc)
- Ask about the web designers policy for transferring your site
The 1st point is really important. If the domain is registered in your website designers name they're the legal owner, you can not use the "Restablish Identity Process". This may then require you using the Nominet Dispute process (which can sometimes be extremely dear dependent on the level of enquiry) or the small claims court. All very time intensive, expensive and nerve-wrangling.
Read similar practical articles on my blog, Web Design Colchester.
About the Author:
Simon Wilkinson is the owner of Digital Ark, Colchester Web Design. Providing site design, website hosting and local mobile search solutions including Pay Monthly Website.
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