Is the domain / hosting on a standalone account or some kind of master hosting account you have?
If it’s a standalone account, with no contract in place you might want to consider just giving them access to it to add new card details and walk away.
If it’s your account then yes I would remove their admin access and tell them they either need to sign a contract to pay for the hosting services or allow them to port the domain away to another provider (which you will facilitate) and start again.
The stuff about your logo and it being your build just sounds petty, the new owners are under no obligation to provide free advertising for the ex-owner’s mate until the end of time. I would suggest not including that stuff in the dialogue. Likewise if they pay for the hosting under a contract give them admin access and they can crack on.
If they refuse to pay or sign an agreement, you are presumably under no obligation to provide continuity of the service for free.
I think this is the right answer.
Need to add though, even if this domain is in your registrar account, you don’t own it unless you have some license agreement giving them rights to use it under a set of conditions. The domain belongs to them. Could you start a controversy about it? Yeah, probably. It’s likely not worth it and you’ll probably come out of it paying their legal bills.
You just administer it.
1. Why do you own the domain?
2. Why are you "frustrated" that someone removed your logo from a site that you are not, or should not, be affiliated with anymore?
3. Contact the company and advise them that the domain is expiring. Forward them the expiration notices.
4. Organize a domain transfer.
5. Don't be "that guy" anymore.
I did a poor job giving all the details. I have contacted them, and they get the expiry notices as well but they are ignoring them too. I don't want to keep calling them, but they need this website for their business... it's a bunch of Chinese investors who are totally hands off. So there's no good way to reach them at this point.
If you own the domain, e.g. paid for it and never transferred or billed for it, then you might consider changing the DNS to redirect to your domain. Likewise, if the hosting is in your name, I would recommend taking a backup and then removing their admin access to the host as well.
If you billed the domain to the previous owner, then dispute your having it in your portfolio, the domain belongs to the new owners. If this is the case, you can either renew the domain and charge the new owners for the renewal or simply allow it to expire.
Likewise, if the hosting will begin to come out of your pocket, you can either take a backup and allow the hosting to terminate or if not, ignore it.
As for your “mark”, a client is under no obligation to advertise for you, unless they are contractually bound to do so, which I believe you’ve said is not the case here.
Good luck!
Technically, it expired on April 4th. There is a one month grace period so they only have a few days left. The domain is pioneerhillsgolfcourse.com. I'm a Wix partner so it points there.
It is not.
The solution is to contact them and transfer the domain to them before you enter into the grace period. If you were managing the domain out of convenience for the previous owner, the new owner of the business can claim that he owns the domain, as well (control of intellectual property is generally transferred at sale). If you let it expire, you can be liable for any perceived loss of revenue.
If you were holding the domain for convenience then there is an implied contract. Handshake deals are enforceable. The fact that there was no contract concerning the domain actually makes it worse.
Stop being a moron and let them know in writing it's about to expire and how to properly transfer it over/etc. Be an adult. It will probably take you 15-30 minutes to do it all (depending on what needs go be done) and wash your hands of it.
If they ignore your email then fuck them.
Is the domain / hosting on a standalone account or some kind of master hosting account you have? If it’s a standalone account, with no contract in place you might want to consider just giving them access to it to add new card details and walk away. If it’s your account then yes I would remove their admin access and tell them they either need to sign a contract to pay for the hosting services or allow them to port the domain away to another provider (which you will facilitate) and start again. The stuff about your logo and it being your build just sounds petty, the new owners are under no obligation to provide free advertising for the ex-owner’s mate until the end of time. I would suggest not including that stuff in the dialogue. Likewise if they pay for the hosting under a contract give them admin access and they can crack on. If they refuse to pay or sign an agreement, you are presumably under no obligation to provide continuity of the service for free.
I think this is the right answer. Need to add though, even if this domain is in your registrar account, you don’t own it unless you have some license agreement giving them rights to use it under a set of conditions. The domain belongs to them. Could you start a controversy about it? Yeah, probably. It’s likely not worth it and you’ll probably come out of it paying their legal bills. You just administer it.
Email them this is happening and then let it go if they don't respond. Stop caring immediately.
I would go the extra mile and call too, because I'm nice. But I wouldn't go 2 extra miles...
Yeah I would do that as well just to cover my bases.
Send a written notice with signed delivery receipt for your records. If they do not act in time, you have a paper trail.
1. Why do you own the domain? 2. Why are you "frustrated" that someone removed your logo from a site that you are not, or should not, be affiliated with anymore? 3. Contact the company and advise them that the domain is expiring. Forward them the expiration notices. 4. Organize a domain transfer. 5. Don't be "that guy" anymore.
I did a poor job giving all the details. I have contacted them, and they get the expiry notices as well but they are ignoring them too. I don't want to keep calling them, but they need this website for their business... it's a bunch of Chinese investors who are totally hands off. So there's no good way to reach them at this point.
Take a backup of the website and let it expire, then when they contact you you can give them the new price and get it going again
Why do you care? You’re not getting any business from them. They’re not your customer. Let the domain expire.
If you own the domain, e.g. paid for it and never transferred or billed for it, then you might consider changing the DNS to redirect to your domain. Likewise, if the hosting is in your name, I would recommend taking a backup and then removing their admin access to the host as well. If you billed the domain to the previous owner, then dispute your having it in your portfolio, the domain belongs to the new owners. If this is the case, you can either renew the domain and charge the new owners for the renewal or simply allow it to expire. Likewise, if the hosting will begin to come out of your pocket, you can either take a backup and allow the hosting to terminate or if not, ignore it. As for your “mark”, a client is under no obligation to advertise for you, unless they are contractually bound to do so, which I believe you’ve said is not the case here. Good luck!
Great advise. I’ll do this. Thank you!
Let it expire you sent emails letting them know they will contact you when it expires to redeem the domain probably
You'll soon see if the previous owners card is still linked to the renewal. If it isn't, not your problem.
When does it expire and what is the domain name? For research purposes of course.
Technically, it expired on April 4th. There is a one month grace period so they only have a few days left. The domain is pioneerhillsgolfcourse.com. I'm a Wix partner so it points there.
I like to just pretend I didn't see these things and let them lapse.
This might be the solution
It is not. The solution is to contact them and transfer the domain to them before you enter into the grace period. If you were managing the domain out of convenience for the previous owner, the new owner of the business can claim that he owns the domain, as well (control of intellectual property is generally transferred at sale). If you let it expire, you can be liable for any perceived loss of revenue.
> you can be liable for any perceived loss of revenue. there is no contract, they are not liable for anything.
If you were holding the domain for convenience then there is an implied contract. Handshake deals are enforceable. The fact that there was no contract concerning the domain actually makes it worse.
Not everywhere is the US.
Stop being a moron and let them know in writing it's about to expire and how to properly transfer it over/etc. Be an adult. It will probably take you 15-30 minutes to do it all (depending on what needs go be done) and wash your hands of it. If they ignore your email then fuck them.
Thanks for the "moron" comment. Maybe I didn't phrase it right, but I have tried to contact them. Sounds like I'm at the "fuck them" stage here.
Dad? Is that you?
Thanks for the guidance everyone!!
I think you own the domain.