Domain transfer problem

[Nutech]

My apologies if this is not the correct forum for such a problem, but 'newbies' sounds right.

So...

Early last year my sister, without asking me for advice or help, decided to register her new business. Being a complete technophobe, she didn't realise the difference between registering a domain and registering your business.

Some idiot recommended she use Start.biz (so called 'UK national business register') to sort it all out for her as he thought they were government sponsored. These guys make a profit from misinformed people and charged her £99 to simply register a domain and provide a 'Welcome pack' (2 or 3 bits of paper that pat you on the back for using Start.biz).

So, skip to a year later and she has now just realised she paid £99 for a £10 service and is asking me to sort it all out for her. Great.

I've got her a nice and cheap hosting package and a new domain name, but she wants the old domain back aswell (already ordered business cards with that domain on).

So I contacted these guys asking for the EPP code so I can transfer the domain to the new hosts. They've now emailed me saying they cannot transfer until the domain is renewed (it expired early January) and they want £60 to renew it.

So what are my options here, can they really not transfer without renewing it first? I would prefer not to give these scam artists another penny but my sister really wants the old domain back. The thought of paying £60 for a £10 service makes me sick.

The domain status is currently "pendingDelete".

Thoughts?

 

[mosilager]

I suppose the question here is whether you're allowed to transfer a domain while it's in "pending delete" mode?. The answer to this question, I don't know unfortunately.

However, maybe you can just wait for the domain to drop OR back-order it.....

 

[RazorNF]

You won't be able to transfer the name out, even if you did have the EPP codes while in this status. I may be wrong but I don't even think they can restore the name once it hits pending delete.

You will need to backorder the domains at the various dropcatchers.

 

[nielsencl]

I have to agree with most of what was said. After your domain expires, you generally have 30 days to renew it at the normal cost. After that, most registrars will charge around $100 to get you your domain back. I think you can still get it BEFORE it drops, but I am not sure. Once the domain drops anyone can register it again.

You should talk to someone who knows domains that you trust. If your domain is something that most people will have no interest in, you can simply wait until it drops and register it. If the name has more potential to people like me , using a drop-catching service will give you a better chance of getting it. The cost for a drop catcher is generally about $70. If you must have the domain again, you can use several drop catchers and then your chances should improve. Most will only charge you IF they get the domain, so it is worth using more than one.

By the way, I helped a friend buy a domain for over $10,000 that I would not have paid more than a few hundred for. We sometimes have to put our feelings aside when our customers feel they want the domain, despite the price.

Good Luck!

 

[RazorNF]

I just googled it, and here's a good explanation on the pending delete phase

Pending Delete

some key points include:

In the pending delete restorable state it is possible to recover the domain name within 30 days.

Transfer requests are no longer permitted during the pending delete phase.

The renewal process during the pending delete phase (Restorable state) is costly and time consuming.

To be honest, you might want to consider paying the existing registrar the renewal, considering your sister has already spent money building her business around that name.

The problem is that if allowed to drop, there's always a chance that someone else will get the domain, even if you backorder it everywhere. (Is your sister willing to go with another name & new business cards if you're unsuccessful in the drop?) If it's a good domain, you may even end up paying than what these guys are asking, if it ends up going to auction.

 

[realtimeregister]

Pending deleted domain is not restorable

Just for the record, the "pending delete" status does not offer the option to renew or restore the domain. The domain will be dropped after 5 days.

Restoring a domain is only possible in the "pending delete restorable" or "redemption period" status (obviously).

The only advise I can give is, as was mentioned before, to try and grab the domain after it has been dropped (backorder, or drop catch).

More detailed explanation:

PENDINGDELETE: The registry sets this status after a domain has been set in REDEMPTIONPERIOD status and the domain has not been restored by the registrar. The domain will not be included in the zone. Once in this status all registrar requests to modify or otherwise update the domain will be rejected. The domain will be purged from the registry database after being in this status for 5 calendar days.