Black mailed over domain name ownership?

[Jon_King]

I have a new client for a site makeover... the company that did the original site also registered the domain name for the client, and now will not give it up. The whois says this web site developer owns the domain name, not the customer.

What can be done to secure the name for the customer who should have been the owner in the first place?

[Mike_Mackin]

Sounds like a problem between the site developer and his/her customer and would depend on the contract.

Unless they will pay you and your attorney to look into it, I'd start over.

I'll bet you can choose a better domain name that will not carry any baggage and just do what you do.

[rogerd]

I agree with Mike, Jon - your customer will have to resolve this. If the name of the site includes their business name, they can probably prevail legally (depending on the wording in their original contract, if there was a written agreement). If the first guys want to be jerks, though, it could take some time. As Mike suggests, find a new domain name that will protect your client from being held hostage by these clowns.

[hmpphf]

A letter from your client's solicitor/lawyer to the web design company might be a good idea. Make sure the solicitor/lawyer has some expertise in web case law.

If you decide to drop the old name, even with big clients you can gain a lot of credibility by sitting and talking them through the process of registering names on their own behalf - they are then in control of their own destiny. Let them rely on you for things they can't do themselves.