need some advice concerning my domain

[lenabug]

In mid december my former web designer started emailing the place where my domain was registered asking them to put all contact info in my name so I could transfer it. The domain was set to expire on the 7th. Needless to say they never switched the info over and my domain expired, now they have it on hold and want me to pay $80 to get it back/ I have copies of all the emails, but wouldn't this be thier fault as they never changed the info?
thanks
lena

[xbase234]

Which registrar are you dealing with?

[lenabug]

it was originally registered thru a hoster who is an affilate of onlinenic.com in the whois onlinenic comes up as the registrar. I've tried calling the hoster (whos in costa rica) and emailing but they never reply to anything, the only place we've gotten anything back from is onlinenic.com
thanks
lena

[edited by: heini at 3:21 pm (utc) on Jan. 31, 2004]
[edit reason] Please let's not name names. Thanks! [/edit]

[xbase234]

Do they have an online domain management interface, or do they require you to contact them directly to make a change?

[lenabug]

as far as I know they don't the hoster has a place on the site where you can go to change info but when you click on it you get an error message of page not there. The former webdesigner had her site through these people as well and had no problems transfering it so I'm asuming that she took the same route as she did with me to do it.(she was not mad that I was taking over the site as we are friends in case you were wondering if this could have been a problem) also today we submitted a complaint to ICANN and also are working on submitting a complaint with the bbb. After reading this board I've learned the process of what happens with the domain(much appreciated for the info) and its been on hold since january 18th my main fear is somone else snatching up my name as the site name is the same as my business. I would just get another site but all of my advertising dollers have been spent on this one.
thanks
lena

[edited by: heini at 3:22 pm (utc) on Jan. 31, 2004]

[xbase234]

One other question - why didn't you pay your friend to renew the name, and then transfer it?

The bottom line is that if reg fees are not paid, then the domain is dropped. I wouldn't put too much stock in the hope that ICANN or the BBB will get your name back before the drop date. And if someone else registers it, you have an entirely new set of problems to deal with.

Hope you get everything resolved.

[lenabug]

honestly I had no idea that this would be so difficult I figured since we were doing it almost a full month before the expiration that we would be good to go.(apparently this domain registrar works on a different time schedule than the rest of us) would you suggest I put the domain on back order thru godaddy? or anyone in particular?
thanks
lena

[chicagohh]

would you suggest I put the domain on back order thru godaddy? or anyone in particular

Why not just pay the host $80 and solve your problem? So far, Godaddy has not been able to beat namewinner or pool for any of the domains I have been speculating.

[lenabug]

honestly because even if I pay them the $80 they way they've been treating me they will just continue to come up with more numbers for me to pay. I guess I'll just keep an eye on it and hope for the best.
thanks
lena

[Jenstar]

Do keep in mind that if you don't pay the $80, there is a pretty good chance you will lose that domain name. If it is worth $80, you should probably pay it, and then worry about transfering it. If it isn't, don't count on getting your domain when it drops, particularly if it is a good one, and start thinking of a new name.

[Marcia]

>>In mid december my former web designer started emailing the place where my domain was registered asking them to put all contact info in my name so I could transfer it.

First off, let's back up and see whose domain name it actually is.

You can't simply email a registrar and ask them to change a domain name from one party to another, or even to change information. There are procedures in place to ensure protection.

>>wouldn't this be thier fault as they never changed the info?

No, it's not their fault because it isn't their responsibility to change the info, in fact they can't. It's up to the owner of the domain, the administrative contact, to initiate the procedure to transfer the domain to another party. It doesn't happen without that set procedure; an email requesting it doesn't do it.

Whose name was the domain taken in as the registered owner, and who was the administrative contact? If it's in the web designer's name then was her domain.

If that's the case then they're not doing anything wrong, in fact if that's so they're being helpful.

[edited by: Marcia at 3:52 pm (utc) on Jan. 31, 2004]

[lenabug]

right i understand that if it was in her name it was her domain,but she has sent at least 6 emails,numerous calls(that were not returned) and even a fax to them requesting that the info be changed over to me as the contact info and owner of the site. I should also say that during the last year of being with this host we had other problems as the site got hacked into several times(as they left wierd stuff in other languages on the site) This is the first venutre i've taken into anything web related and I'm still learning the basics(although with this I'm having to learn a lot of terms quickly)So please pardon me if what I'm asking is wrong.
thanks
lena

[Marcia]

Lena, you have to fill out a form at the site to transfer ownership of a site. Period. It cannot be done by phone, email or fax. Then there are confirming emails sent to the registered owner that have to be responded to by them logging in to the site to confirm transfer, which I imagine is for the purpose of logging the IP number in the event of attempted fraud. It's all in place to prevent theft of domain names.

The host sounds like they have problems, and it also sounds like they're a third party domain reseller so there's a limit to what they can do. If the domain is now expired, if it has any value it'll be taken up by other parties. They are not responsible, your web designer is responsible for not taking the necessary procedures in the first place.

If there were serious problems all along the domain should have been transferred to another registrar well before expiration and the ownership transferred to you properly.

The bottom line is that if it's being held for you and you can still get it, they are doing nothing wrong from that perspective, they are cooperating. You have no choice but to pay them the $80. A lot of registrars/resellers have extra fees to renew after expiration. Then after a period of time you can transfer it to another registar and be done with it.

Just pay the $80 and get the domain in your name if you want it; there's no choice if you want to make sure you'll have it