.co.uk reg problem

I have no experience with .co.uk domains but am having a headache with one right now.

A friend bought a business which included a .co.uk domain. The domain is registered in the name of a UK web design company not the name of the original owner of the business/domain or the new owner (my friend, who we´ll call Bill).

When Bill asked the design company to please change the registration details to reflect that he is the owner of the site the web design company waffled and faffed about - though they did indicate that the changes would be made.

After two months, Bill sent a more strongly worded email asking again for the domain reg details to be changed in his favour. The web design company went ballistic saying their integrity was being questioned! They have given him 8 hours to find a new host and they have disabled his email which means that right now clients cannot book on Bill´s website.

Now of course, finding a new host is not a problem. I would simply advise Bill to oopen an account with Futurequest who I have used happily for years. What I don´t understand is the web designers reference to sending them the IPS-tag number. As far as I can tell FQ does not have a IPS-Tag. Must .co.uk domains be hosted with companies in the UK?

Also the web designer made reference to the new host being able to change registration details. Is that so?

I guess the quickest way forward would be to find a UK host which already has an IPS tag?

 

In order to change the actual registration details of the domain, you need to get in touch with Nominet and request a form from them.

.co.uk domains can be physically hosted anywhere.

 

Hmmm. But if it the site is registered to the web designer, Bill has no proof that he is the owner.

In a registrar like 123cheapdomains all I´d have to do to change the contact details of the domain would be to enter the control panel and edit the corresponding field. I can´t believe it seems so complicated to change the contact details of a .co .uk domain.

Though I like FQ myself I think I´d feel more confident recommending Bill to use a UK host that will have experience with handling .co.uk domain through Nominet especially given the urgency of this case.

Anyone have a favourite UK host to recommend?

 

Right... That company will have to initiate the transfer (Im in exactly the same position, except I'm the one who owns a domain for a client who hasn't paid up)...

It's a complete pain in the arse...

 

I'm in the same position. I've just bought a .com domain and that was dead easy, now I'm trying to transfer a .co.uk domain (to me) from X to 1 & 1 and this is what I've been told to do (I intend to use 1&1 as the registrar but have the domain held somewhere else).

 

Ownership of a .co.uk domain is not as simple as changing the name on a form. It must be changed with http://www.nominet.org.uk/, the governing body. It doesn't come cheaply either at £30 +VAT (£35 / $63) to transfer the domain to another party.

The issue of ownership is not necessarily cut and dried. 'Bill' may be able to claim the domain if he was originally led to believe that he was the owner and that his contract with the web designers stated this. The nominet dispute resolution center is the way to go.