Hosting company became a nightmare, won't let me go

I need advice on what to do

[explorador]

I have some sites at [a web hosting service provider] and this became a nightmare.

• Problems remain unsolved
  
• Tickets are answered with nonsense
  
• Doesn't matter how much I ask for solution I get automated and copy paste responses on how much they want to help me and happy to be at my service, etc.
  
• They have messed up and tried to put the blame on the client (and I still have the text to prove it)
  
• The support forum is filled with complains from other clients
  

The thing is I not only have hosting service, I also bought and registered a few domain names with them. I want to move them to one of my registrars but it seems they won't let me.

I can't get the security codes myself for the transfer
So ok, I asked 5 domain security codes, 2 remain pending
I began working on one... but the domain status is reported as LOCKED

I entered on their panel and clicked UNLOCK and it says "unlocked" but remains locked, even with the icon of locked.

What's next? what do you do when support becomes a problem? I know I depend on them to move on but support is really a nightmare and I'm not getting the answers. Where can I report this?

I want to make this clear as "my current problem": Every time I try to solve something I stumble with a NEW stone, a new obstacle. Please understand this before telling me "ask your support dept" because THEY are the problem, so again, where can I report this? I already opened a thread at webhostingtalk, the thing is as you might understand, time is money. Hey, I have one ticket 11 days old with no solution!

[edited by: phranque at 5:09 am (utc) on May 17, 2013]
[edit reason] forum charter [/edit]

[phranque]

is your DNS provider the same as your registrar and web hosting company?
do you have access to your DNS config?
will your registrar account control panel allow you to switch to another DNS?
move your web hosting (and DNS if necessary/possible) first and deal with the registry later.

[bhonda]

I don't know if you've tried this, but in situations like this I would insist on speaking to someone on the phone. I don't know if that's at all possible, but I would try.

Failing that (or, via that route), I would work up the chain of command - leave the support people alone, head for management. If that doesn't work, go straight to the top. Find the owner, communicate with them - call them, email them, write a letter. See what happens.

I would agree with phranque though, move your hosting first. If it came to it, just cut your losses and leave your old hosting hanging. Then try to salvage your domain names.

[phranque]

and when you move things "don't put all your eggs in one basket".
your registrar, DNS provider and web hosting should be with 3 autonomous organizations.

[explorador]

Thanks for the advice. Yes I keep the eggs in diff baskets, I have diff sites in diff webhosting companies, and also keep diff domains in diff registrars but sadly I bought 5 with them and I just want to leave. Lucky me, thanks to the many baskets approach some sites are problem free.

I will try to speak with someone directly, they removed live support and we can only reach them via support tickets... each one becoming a new frustration.

Blocking the panel functions seems to me a bad move to keep clients from going away.

_{Thanks phranque, sorry for the name, it was included in case someone experienced this before and could point me to someone that could help.}

[piatkow]

With regard to complaining, on one occasion I was getting the runaround with a problem (a physical product). Ringing the Managing Director would have been pointless as the switchboard would have diverted me to the same people who were being useless so I looked up his name then asked for his secretary. Problem sorted next morning!

Getting back to the web, I always think that, all else being equal, it is preferable to use a service provider in your own country as it makes it a lot easier to escalate a dispute if necessary.

[Samizdata]

I have come across similar situations in the past, fortunately only UK domains were involved.

The domains were retrieved within 48 hours by paying a small fee to Nominet.

I could never understand why other countries didn't offer a similar service.

...

[explorador]

After several days on waiting
and partial EPP codes sent
and locked domains without way to unlock them...

Today I received everything, still some problems but finally my domains have been moved to another registrar. What a problem... So I'm packing my stuff :)

[Kendo]

It sounds like the agent/reseller for your domain is in breach of domain agent regulations. Shaking the ICANN tree should dislodge your possums.