[Clair]

Hi all,

I am dealing a customer who is becomming quite unpleasent. I won't go in to the details too much but basically it went sour grapes because I explained why I couldn't allow them unrestricted access to my paid hosting account.

Now that their domain name has expired, he is demanding to take full control of his domain name. I have not re-registed it for another year (godaddy) yet the whois still says it's in my name. I have explained that he is welcome to re-register it in their own name and get their own hosting company if he wishes.

Because I'm getting harrassment from him, I'm actually half tempted to re-register it again and keep it, but obviously I don't want to get sued. The domain name is a("hisname".com)

I really don't want to have anything to do with this customer and want them off my back completely so I can concentrate on my other very satisified customers.

Please advise.
Thanks.
Clair

This post has been edited by Clair: 21 September 2011 - 11:23 AM

[MikeChipshop]

As much as i feel your pain, don't re-register it as that'll keep you in contact with them for longer.

Can't really comment on anything else because we do not have any details like what service do you provide for the customer in the first place and what you are providing for them now.

Do you provide hosting on your private account? I'm a bit confused by this.

[Clair]

MikeChipshop, on 21 September 2011 - 11:23 AM, said:

As much as i feel your pain, don't re-register it as that'll keep you in contact with them for longer.

Can't really comment on anything else because we do not have any details like what service do you provide for the customer in the first place and what you are providing for them now.

Do you provide hosting on your private account? I'm a bit confused by this.

Hi Mike!

I made up the wbesite for the customer, registered the domain name for him and put his website on my hosting account which I subscribe to annually. Although I could create an FTP account for him, this is against my policy because of the consequences if they upload anything illegal, etc

Really quite sad about this client, as they have been extremely demanding at times yet I've done my best to fulfil all their requests. Now I'm getting a torrent of 'I paid for this, I own that', etc etc..

This post has been edited by Clair: 21 September 2011 - 11:35 AM

[MikeChipshop]

Clair, on 21 September 2011 - 11:30 AM, said:

Hi Mike!

I made up the wbesite for the customer, registered the domain name for him and put his website on my hosting account which I subscribe to annually.

Really quite sad about this client, as they have been extremely demanding at times yet I've done my best to fulfil all their requests. Now I'm getting a torrent of 'I paid for this, I own that', etc etc..

Unless you have a reseller account, do not put people on your hosting as it opens up all sorts of issues of security and privacy.

Did they pay in full for the site, the domain and the hosting?
If so and the hosting and domain have reached the end of the period they paid for then follow the next few steps, these will help you maintain your credibility if they go off trying to bad mouth you.

• Notify the client that you will be terminating their hosting
  
• Notify client that in order to keep their domain they will have to register with a domain registrar.
  
• Once that is done, initiate a domain transfer.
  
• Notify the client that they need to purchase hosting.
  
• Do a full backup of the site and move it to their new hosting
  
• Do not get involved with any of the setting up of the domain or hosting, simply transfer the site over.
  
  Now i know you don't have to transfer the site over but in this case it'll make you come out smelling of roses even if they try to bad mouth you. You've covered all angles.
  By not taking part in any of the setting up of the domain or hosting you can then walk away and wash your hands of them.

[Clair]

MikeChipshop, on 21 September 2011 - 11:47 AM, said:

Unless you have a reseller account, do not put people on your hosting as it opens up all sorts of issues of security and privacy.

Did they pay in full for the site, the domain and the hosting?
If so and the hosting and domain have reached the end of the period they paid for then follow the next few steps, these will help you maintain your credibility if they go off trying to bad mouth you.

• Notify the client that you will be terminating their hosting
  
• Notify client that in order to keep their domain they will have to register with a domain registrar.
  
• Once that is done, initiate a domain transfer.
  
• Notify the client that they need to purchase hosting.
  
• Do a full backup of the site and move it to their new hosting
  
• Do not get involved with any of the setting up of the domain or hosting, simply transfer the site over.
  
  Now i know you don't have to transfer the site over but in this case it'll make you come out smelling of roses even if they try to bad mouth you. You've covered all angles.
  By not taking part in any of the setting up of the domain or hosting you can then walk away and wash your hands of them.

Thanks so much for your help Mike!

It seems GoDaddy hold expired domains for upto 40 days! Wonder if I would have to renew to transfer it. I would rather just leave and forget about it all i.e wash my hands of him ! I unlocked the domain anyway.

Please advise.
Clair

This post has been edited by Clair: 21 September 2011 - 12:01 PM

[MikeChipshop]

Last time a client of mine had let their domain name lapse with GoDaddy, they tried to charge my client £70 for a renewal. Leave the re-registration of the domain to the client, again it's best not to get involved otherwise you'll be held to account over any problems.

[Jason Dexter]

Clair, on 21 September 2011 - 12:00 PM, said:

Thanks so much for your help Mike!

It seems GoDaddy hold expired domains for upto 40 days! Wonder if I would have to renew to transfer it. I would rather just leave and forget about it all i.e wash my hands of him ! I unlocked the domain anyway.

Please advise.
Clair

All domains have a period after which they expire, as it allows the owner of the domain to re-register within their own time otherwise a if domains are available from the they expire, there could be quite a few lost domains

[pandadoodle]

What kind of business are you running!? Why are you registering a companies domain name in your name for the customer? Surly you had all the details they paid for it, its theirs.

If they want full control of the domain name as far as I'm concerned its theirs to control not yours. As for not giving a customer FTP access FFS!! Strike one up for making the rest of us look like ****s.

[Jock]

Re-register it and stick it on a sedo auction

[rallport]

I'd be VERY tempted to re register it myself - but ethically, that's very very wrong

However, best thing to do is just ask the client where they want it transferring to and let them get on with it. Sometimes you have to accept that you'll loose the odd customer - it's happened to me two times this year alone whilst freelancing.

[WBC]

Not sure if this has been said but I'd never register a clients domain under my name, I always use their details or walk them through it, because after I've made the site and if they don't want or have moved on from my hosting I don't want anything else to do with it.

[itc]

the best practice is to have a reseller account with your favourite hosting company.

you can initially set accounts up for your customers and later, if necessary, you can give them the whole thing to manage themselves and bill them accordingly for domains, hosting, etc. it would be their responsibility to transfer their names and website if that's what they want.

this is also perfect for you, because a separate hosting account ensures the security of your other projects and it detaches their activities from a legal point of view

[smoothonline]

I have the same problem like you and like you I also use a business hosting account where by I can host multiple domains without paying the costly fees of a reseller account.


Reseller accounts are all well and good but when you're a freelancer and you have about 20 clients who often don't pay on time, you're often forced to foot the bill
char

This post has been edited by smoothonline: 26 September 2011 - 06:19 PM

[WBC]

If they don't pay stop their service or do what all they other industries do and charge them for late payment.

[neil0wen]

I would always advise getting the customer to register their domain themselves and changing their nameserver to point towards your web hosting. This way They have rightful ownership of the domain and website, but you (the web designer) have full control and access to the website!

[itc]

neil0wen, on 27 September 2011 - 10:25 AM, said:

I would always advise getting the customer to register their domain themselves and changing their nameserver to point towards your web hosting. This way They have rightful ownership of the domain and website, but you (the web designer) have full control and access to the website!

realistically, you can't ask that from most customers.

you might be working in a part of the market where the customer is knowledgeable in this kind of thing, but what if you even have to explain what the terms "domain" and "hosting" mean? this creates a problem.

also, if you ask the customer to do stuff that they don't understand (even if they get why it's good that they do it themselves) it might put them off from using your service, thinking that you don't offer the "complete package", etc.



btw, surely there is a topic discussing hosting packages and resellers. anyone can get a reseller account for relatively the same price as their shared hosting and it will do the job just fine.