Old host is MIA and client needs site moved

[bkeep]

I have been contacted by a client of a long time associate about some web work and in the course of action the old host is not returning any phone calls or emails to the client so they are basically stuck in limbo.

When they purchased hosting the domain was setup with the old host as the owner and not them also they had not been given any info about login info for their hosting account.

What kind of rights do these people have? What course of action can they take to obtain the domain and hosting?

Thanks for your advice

[lammert]

If the domain name was registered by the hosting company and they pay their yearly fee, it is basically their property, unless the domain name is a trademark registered by the client before it was registered as a domain.

The contract between the hosting company and the client might shed some light on this specific situation. If the client is serious about getting his domain and site, he should contact a lawyer.

[Jonesy]

It's not clear whether the client has lost all the content, too.
I once re-built (most) of a 'lost' web site by tediously trawling
through the material at The Way Back Machine.

Good Luck!
Jonesy

[bkeep]

The content is not the issue it is a very small site just three pages it is the domain name that is important.

[bwnbwn]

Looks like the hosting company was a slick bunch as if they purchased the domain name from the beginning your flat out of the domain name and don't stand a chance in getting it back.

The only exception is if there is in writing that the hosting company was buying it for the client and I knda doubt that happened.

They just took advantage of him/her and got the domain name to let them build value for it so they can sell it at an auction.

I can see why they have gone busted because of they way they do business.