Massive problem with my locked domain name

[Gerryhereandnow]

I've having massive problems with a domain registering company.

I've had a domain name with them for four years but this June when I tried to renew the domain I found that their website did not have a checkout to pay through Paypal or credit card. Instead you're asked to 'add funds' but the link they give is dead.

So I sent a support ticket and complained. They said they were experiencing problems and that my domain would be renewed and I could pay them later. I agreed to this. However several days later the domain lost its place on the Internet. In effect it disappeared. I complained and after ten days they put my domain back up.

Now my hosting with 12 month hosting with the company is coming to an end. In one day. I tried to renew that and yet still this company does not have a checkout.

They have also locked my domain name so I cannot change the dns and move my hosting elsewhere. I have sent numerous emails and support tickets asking for help but after a week I have had no replies.

I contacted ICANN who said they could not help.

I run a business and cannot afford to lose this domain. Any help appreciated. Thanks.

 

[premkumar]

@Gerryhereandnow their is chrome plugin to disable lock pages.

Try the chrome plugin's that unblock page like bypass-surveys

OR disable Javascript

Locked page can be unlocked easily by disabling javascript of your browser. You can easily disable javascript by going into your browser setting.
How to disable JavaScript in Firefox:

1. Open your Firefox browser, Click on Options.
2. Select Content tab.
3. There you will find a option of JavaScript.
4. Just click on tick to disable it.

How to disable JavaScript in Chrome:

1. In google chrome, Click on wrench icon at Top.
2. Click on settings option.
3. Click on Show advanced settings.
4. Click on Content settings.
5. Click on Do not allow any site to use javascript.

 

[Gerryhereandnow]

I disabled Java in Fx like you said, but the screen goes white and the pages don't load.

 

[Gerryhereandnow]

I have sent a link to this thread, to Lowestpricedomain - hoping it will make them wake up.

Thank you once again for all your kind assistance, advice and genuine concern.

Cheers. :D

 

[TRY]

Sorry, they're thousands of miles away. I'm in the UK, they're in the States. I tried ringing their phone number as a last resort, but I was hanging on the line for 30 minutes and my phone bill soared. And I didn't even get to speak to anyone. ICANN are hopeless.

Google voice may be an affordable option to use to keep calling them. Check out their international rates.

 

[Gerryhereandnow]

Thanks. I think if my website does go off as expected on July 20th, I will try to ring them again. I'll never give up, I know that.

 

[enlytend]

Could they be going out of business? you'll probably have more success with resellersclub.
i second the google voice reco.

 

[Gerryhereandnow]

A RESULT, LowestPriceDomain have unlocked the domain!!!

I have now changed the dns, so my website will stay up. YAY!!!

I'm a bit unsure how this happened after a few weeks trying to get it unlocked. But I would say your forum HELPED a great deal. I did send the forum thread link to Lowestpricedomain, so I think that may have done the trick.

And it maybe when you guys told me to write to the Resellers.

All I know is it's a relief to have changed my dsn settings!

Thanks again, guys. You're a great bunch of caring people. RESPECT!!

 

[cdboard]

another story where there is a problem due to keeping the domain and hosting at the same company.


since this domain and website are important for your business, what changes will you make to protect your business?


you might consider using third-party dns. so you can make dns changes even if the domain is locked.

also, add several years to the domain registration.

 

[ikhub]

All 's well that ends well.
Lesson learnt. Run away from the reseller as fast as you can.

 

[Gerryhereandnow]

another story where there is a problem due to keeping the domain and hosting at the same company.


since this domain and website are important for your business, what changes will you make to protect your business?


you might consider using third-party dns. so you can make dns changes even if the domain is locked.

also, add several years to the domain registration.

Well, I have changed the dns which was vital because I don't have their hosting. Now I have obtained the code needed to transfer the domain. That said, and I have always said, I am still willing to pay for the year's renewal. But there is no way to do it. I will tell lowestpricedomain that they can expect immediate payment from me once they get a checkout that works. It was never my intention not to pay. I pay all my debts.

 

[frank-germany]

I can recommend namesilo for you to register the domain
as they are remarkably usefull and helping

and never have hosting domain reg at the same place

for you to be able to change the nameservers
its good to have external nameservers
so you ony change the IP

I recommend you may want to use
cloudflare( com ) for this purpose

 

[Gerryhereandnow]

Thanks, Frank.

 

[BrandChimp]

U may also try Uniregistry.com as they made it so easy to manage domains and offers free id protection. Also, Hostgator is great for regular hosting.

cloudflare is also really good to protect your site

 

[james haw]

Email from ICANN:

Dear Customer,


Thank you for submitting a Transfer complaint concerning your domain name. ICANN has reviewed and closed your complaint because:

- Your complaint falls outside of the scope of the Registrar Accreditation Agreement and the Consensus Policies because the company mentioned in your complaint is not an ICANN-accredited registrar. ICANN does not have contractual authority to address complaints about the performance of these providers. You may address your issues with the registrar with which your domain name was actually registered

- ICANN does not have contractual authority to address any customer-service related matters that fall outside of the Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA). Complaints about a registrar's performance that cannot be resolved.


ICANN considers this matter now closed.

Please do not reply to this email (replies to closed complaints are not monitored by ICANN staff).



Sincerely,

ICANN Contractual Compliance

So you need to send another complaint with the actual registry, not the reseller who you are using. They ARE bound by ICANN terms and will jump at any sniff of losing their (very expensive) accreditation.

 

[Kate]

This is why I would advise against buying domains from a reseller, because unlike registrars they are not regulated by icann. You can just hope that the upstream registrar will be willing to help if things go wrong. And many are one-man shows. Of course delegating the domain to some 'web guy' is just as bad. He could go awol too. Or just have an accident. Stuff happens, think ahead.

 

[Veronica Smith]

You just have to send a mail to the registry directly and tell them your problem or request them to get in touch with the reseller, from where you bought your domain name. After getting your domain name unlocked, move your domain as well as hosting to a well reputed company like GoDaddy, ZnetLive, Hostgator etc. to be on safe side in future.

 

[golan]

I run a business and cannot afford to lose this domain.

LowestPricedDomain.

Sorry, something doesn't fit here. How can you base your business on a service provider called LowestPrisedWhatever? Pathetic.

 

[carob]

I would strongly recommend filing a transfer complaint with ICANN. This will compel the actual supporting registrar to resolve the issue, as, per ICANN rules, Registrars are responsible for their resellers complying with ICANN rules. One such rule is the ability for Registrants to be able to unlock their domains. Filing the complaint directly with ICANN will circumvent the reseller and force the actual registrar to provide assistance. See the link below:

https://forms.icann.org/en/resources/compliance/complaints/transfer/form

Good point, and the registrar has to unlock the domain and hand over the authcode on request of the registrant, who may or may not control the account the domain is in - they don't need access to the accoun the domain is in.

I hope the domain is registered in your name and the contact details are public and accurate, to be sure of recovering it.

 

[lock]

The problem with many reseller's is often they register the name for themselves if you ever want to move they sell you back your own intellectual property for a fee as they often register it in their own name.