Problems arise where hosting company is the registrant of my domain

Significant fee to transfer domain

[thecross5]

Hi all, recently I just found out from my hosting company that the domain is not registered under my name but theirs. Probably , so that I will keep on hosting with them. I am really pissed. I can only blame myself for not reading the contract. Is there anyway to transfer the ownership? they are charging me like $160 for that! Anyone have any suggestions?

[John Carpenter]

Is there anyway to transfer the ownership?

(I assume you asked them if they could transfer it to you and they refused.) As you have agreed to their terms, I'd say the only thing you can do is offer them money for transfering the domain to you.

If the domain is well-known, do NOT let it expire in order to be able to obtain it by subsequent purchase. You can bet that a cyber squatter would be faster than you. (This has happened to us with a squatted .net variation of our domain name.)

[Webwork]

The price probably reflects the incentive/disincentive or "gotcha" in their calculus, of offering what may have once been called a "free domain with hosting". So, by contract, you likely agreed that they retained status of "domain registrant" in return for the package deal.

You could have a lawyer review the contract and look for a basis to . . . but . . . the cost of that process would likely exceed $160.00.

Read the contract, now, just to see exactly what you agreed to and if there are any exceptions, expirations, etc.

[thecross5]

Thanks guys, your suggestions and opinions has given me something to decide on. I think my course of action is to negotiate with them on the price.

[caran1]

I am facing a similar problem. I want to switch hosting and the reseller has put a reseller lock. Luckily the domain name is registered in my name. I am not sure whether I should ask them to remove the lock (they will know i am planning to shift and may create problems) or directly ask the registrar to remove the lock. Can a reseller change the whois for a website without permission from domain name owner?

[davezan]

I am facing a similar problem. I want to switch hosting and the reseller has put a reseller lock. Luckily the domain name is registered in my name. I am not sure whether I should ask them to remove the lock (they will know i am planning to shift and may create problems) or directly ask the registrar to remove the lock. Can a reseller change the whois for a website without permission from domain name owner?

Sure they can...within the limits of their legal prints.

Try to do it with them first, then contact their registrar partner.