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What do you do if your web designer goes missing?
Many small (and big businesses), organisation's and even individuals (like blogger's) rely on the service of a website designer to provide internet site maintenance and website hosting. So what happens when your web designer goes missing?
This basically can be more significant than you might think. By sharing a recent experience, hopefully it will provide understanding of the possible issues.
Scenario
I was approached by a customer whose current website designer, who was also providing hosting, had advised that they were ceasing to trade to follow other interests. The web designer had been very honest about this on their own website and advising that they'd provide support to existing clients to move to a new supplier. This included listing e-mail addresses, mobile and landline phone numbers.
I agreed to take on the site and set about the work to transfer the domain to my web hosting service so we could transfer the site.
The client supplied me with access to their Control Panel that allowed me to access the web site files, e-mail accounts, and so on. However , it didn't allow the change of domain TAG or nameservers to transfer the web hosting.
Issues
When I looked at the web site I realised it had been developed using a CMS (content management system), meaning that I could not just copy the source files to upload to the new web hosting account.
The client did not have the required log-ins, passwords to use the CMS to enable the back up of database, source files, etc in order that they might be transferred.
It became very clear that we might need the support of the existing website designer to help expedite the transferring of domain and web site files.
I sent 2 e-mails to the web site designer asking for clarification on what package was employed to develop the web site and if they could make the changes to the domain TAG and nameservers. Sadly no answer.
I asked the customer to contact the customer. Again no response.
Over several days, countless endeavours by the customer a myself were made to contact the web designer. Sadly no answer.
I then tried calling and leaving voice messages on the listed numbers. I even sent some text messages to the mobile.
At about that point I was getting awfully concerned particularly as the domain was due for renewal at the end of April and didn't require the client to chance losing the site name.
Fortunately , the domain name had been registered in the clients name, not the web designer. This allowed me to contact Nominet (the UK registry of .uk domains).
They were extremely helpful and could see the domain was in the clients''s name and confirmed that it might be possible to use the "Reestablish Identity Process" to regain control of the domain. This is a great service that allows the domain owner (or their web site designer) to apply to regain control of the their domain. The service costs £10+vat and so long as a suitable document on headed paper can be produced confirming the privilege to the domain, Nominet will permit the owner to recover control.
Fortunately , just as the client and myself were going to go down the path of "Reestablishing Identity", the website design got in touch, modified the TAG and I transferred the domain to my service.
Unfortunately, while this process was going on, I had to redesign the web site for the customer as I did not think we would get access to the old web site.
Closing thoughts
This is a genuine world example. So so as to try and protect your domain and website:
- Always ask for the domain to be registered in your own name
- Ask for all the needed log-ins to Control Panel's, online products used to develop your internet site (i.e. WordPress, Joomla, etc)
- Ask about the web designers policy for transferring your web site
The 1st point is particularly crucial. If the domain is registered in your internet designers name they're the legal owner, you cannot use the "Restablish Identity Process". This will then require you using the Nominet Dispute process (which can be very expensive dependent on the level of inquiry) or the small claims court. All extremely lengthy, pricey and intense.
Read similar practical articles on my blog, Web Design Colchester.
This basically can be more significant than you might think. By sharing a recent experience, hopefully it will provide understanding of the possible issues.
Scenario
I was approached by a customer whose current website designer, who was also providing hosting, had advised that they were ceasing to trade to follow other interests. The web designer had been very honest about this on their own website and advising that they'd provide support to existing clients to move to a new supplier. This included listing e-mail addresses, mobile and landline phone numbers.
I agreed to take on the site and set about the work to transfer the domain to my web hosting service so we could transfer the site.
The client supplied me with access to their Control Panel that allowed me to access the web site files, e-mail accounts, and so on. However , it didn't allow the change of domain TAG or nameservers to transfer the web hosting.
Issues
When I looked at the web site I realised it had been developed using a CMS (content management system), meaning that I could not just copy the source files to upload to the new web hosting account.
The client did not have the required log-ins, passwords to use the CMS to enable the back up of database, source files, etc in order that they might be transferred.
It became very clear that we might need the support of the existing website designer to help expedite the transferring of domain and web site files.
I sent 2 e-mails to the web site designer asking for clarification on what package was employed to develop the web site and if they could make the changes to the domain TAG and nameservers. Sadly no answer.
I asked the customer to contact the customer. Again no response.
Over several days, countless endeavours by the customer a myself were made to contact the web designer. Sadly no answer.
I then tried calling and leaving voice messages on the listed numbers. I even sent some text messages to the mobile.
At about that point I was getting awfully concerned particularly as the domain was due for renewal at the end of April and didn't require the client to chance losing the site name.
Fortunately , the domain name had been registered in the clients name, not the web designer. This allowed me to contact Nominet (the UK registry of .uk domains).
They were extremely helpful and could see the domain was in the clients''s name and confirmed that it might be possible to use the "Reestablish Identity Process" to regain control of the domain. This is a great service that allows the domain owner (or their web site designer) to apply to regain control of the their domain. The service costs £10+vat and so long as a suitable document on headed paper can be produced confirming the privilege to the domain, Nominet will permit the owner to recover control.
Fortunately , just as the client and myself were going to go down the path of "Reestablishing Identity", the website design got in touch, modified the TAG and I transferred the domain to my service.
Unfortunately, while this process was going on, I had to redesign the web site for the customer as I did not think we would get access to the old web site.
Closing thoughts
This is a genuine world example. So so as to try and protect your domain and website:
- Always ask for the domain to be registered in your own name
- Ask for all the needed log-ins to Control Panel's, online products used to develop your internet site (i.e. WordPress, Joomla, etc)
- Ask about the web designers policy for transferring your web site
The 1st point is particularly crucial. If the domain is registered in your internet designers name they're the legal owner, you cannot use the "Restablish Identity Process". This will then require you using the Nominet Dispute process (which can be very expensive dependent on the level of inquiry) or the small claims court. All extremely lengthy, pricey and intense.
Read similar practical articles on my blog, Web Design Colchester.
About the Author:
Simon Wilkinson is the founder of Digital Ark, Colchester Web Design. Providing website design, website hosting and local mobile search solutions including Pay Monthly Website.