There is a domain name that has just expired which I wanted to register. The name was used for a sportsfactsite but it simply got neglected and filled with spam. Am I allowed to register the domain name and start a new sports fact site on this account, or would this be some kind of infringement. As far as I know, this was not a registered trademark or business name - just a domain name. Obviously the person running the site had no interest in keeping the site going otherwise they wouldn't have allowed the domain name to expire. Chris
If it is not trademarked and you don't use any of the previous content you should be fine. I mean, as in, you did not copy their content with the intent to re-use it. Similar is okay.
If the original owner is still trading as a sports information company there is a risk of passing off if you use their old domain name to operate a similar service to similar customers. By the sounds of it they arent and even if they are they dont care about the domain any more but with civil law there are rarely any black and whites only shades of grey.
Thanks guys, you have cleared something up for me that i was wondering about. thanks for all your help, chris