i have an unused hosting account...

...that is still valid for 11 months. can i generally rent it to someone?

 

you can sell space on it...set up the account, and offer hosting real cheap on it...you might even get some takers around here, probably from resellers...they always need cheap quick hosting...

 

what i meant to ask is, is it feasible technically and legally? i'm not too familiar with reseller hosting, and mine is just a shared hosting.

 

Well, a shared account typically does not provide the add-on (sub) accounts any control panel access as everything is done through the main account. This type of account is more apt for hosting several personal sites rather than for reselling anything.

If you resell, you will need to provide technical support to your customers.

Of course, the exception is that if your clients are clueless about everything and you have to do the web design and hosting then the shared account may not be an issue

 

In easy words, you bought a hosting package you no longer need and you want to get some of the money back by selling it away, am I right? You should check with your hosting provider's TOS for any particular regulation on that, if any.

 

that's what i meant, i'm not reselling as in 'reselling' like the sense we know....see clive's response:

that is correct. TOS says nothing about that. but i'm not sure if it's legal (doesn't sound like it). because the entire account is still going to be under my name. what if i just be santa claus and give it away?

 

I'd rather close it.
If you can't do it through a control panel, then get in touch with the host.

 

From my experience with annual payments is that you cannot get the money back from the web host for the unused portion.

Hosting your friends and family sites may be the way to go but selling a portion of the site may not be the right thing to do as there is nothing to say the hosted site is not yours.

If I were you, I would probably just keep the account active, who knows, in the next 11 months, you may actually need to use it. You could always mirror your current site over there or use it as an experimental base for whatever you want to try.

Without knowing who the web host is and what their terms are, your best option if you plan to share the account (either by reselling or offering free) is to contact the web host directly and see what they have to say.