Do I have rights to this domain?

domain name rights - ownership

[colintho]

1 year ago I was asked to do some work for a small business, set up website + optimise + promote site.

No formal contract - other than the email request for me to do the work, through an independant - freelance accountant "contact" lets say a "Mr. X"

We can say the business was FICTICOUSLY called "Heavenly Blue Widgets"

I regsitered the domain "heavenlybluewidgets.co.uk" (in my business name) designed & promoted the website.

Most of the copy / images were taken from the Heavenly Blue Widgets business brochure

This was then "optimised - edited" for search engines - with top positions for:

Heavenly Blue Widgets
"Heavenly Blue Widgets"
(various) Blue Widgets search terms

After 1 year, the hosting was due renewal, so I informed them the site was up for hosting renewal and asked them to contact me - NO REPLY

The site is now offline.

Who has the rights / ownershipof the domain "heavenlybluewidgets.co.uk"?

Who has the rights / ownership of the website design?

[hurlimann]

In the absence of the text of the email:

You currently have the rights on the domain name BUT they MAY be able to get the doamin transfered to them.

Under common law copyright of the design remains yours and they own the rights to the images and copy.

If a site does really well in the SE's I kept it up for a while but take off the contact details until I can either get the cleint to pay up or find a competitor in the same industry to take it over. ( Subject to trademark and passing off not applying)

[Crazy_Fool]

the domain is registered to you so it's basically yours. however, it's not as simple as that. although there was no formal contract, a court could decide that discussions / work done / payment etc demonstrate that there was an informal contract etc - the domain could "belong" to them. there is also the matter that the site was used for them - that may give them trademark rights on the name (too complicated to go into details). they could force you to hand over the domain through the DRS.

if it isn't important to you, let them have it.

[colintho]

thanks for your replies

approached customer with regard to "letting them have the domain" - they requested renewal of the site + site maintenance + additional work!

They were just too busy to get back in touch with us!

I feel a little guilty for taking a negative view point