It isn't an uncommon practice depending on the reason for your suspension. Everyone in the industry and most users of hosting services understand the need for off site backups. Your data is one of the most important resources that you have to establish yourself again after a server crash or a suspension which results in the lack of you being able to get a backup copy from your provider. Back it up on your own home sources, an online virtual backup and/or a backup plan that is offered by your provider. Many times these additional backup monthly cost programs from your provider may be what saves your data when all your other sources fail.
Surely it's your responsibility to keep your own backups. This is pretty common practice with hosts, and if you're account has been suspended then I'm assuming you broke their terms which led to the suspension. Since you were the first to breach the contract and by doing so signalled your intention not to be bound by the terms, they have no further obligation to you. However, not giving you a backup (if they have one) is a bit mean. We'll provide backups of customers sites and databases (unless they contain illegal material which then goes to the police) - even if we've suspended them - but we do charge for the time taken to prepare the backup for download which must be cleared funds (cash or bank transfer) before it is provided...and it has to be done within 7 days or else the data disappears from our backup systems.
As a rule, you should always keep backups of your own account somewhere that is seperate to your host for times like this. E.g you computer or an additional host. If your existing host refused to provide you with a backup I would recommend asking them why? If they say there is no backup then ask them to unsuspend your account but put a htaccess file in your root directory which is owned by root:root that way they know you can't use your website but are still able to get your own backups etc.
Do you care to explain whey suspended you? Hosts don´t have to give backups, specially if you broke their TOS.
Good practice is to setup a FTP server at your home, then setup cPanel to backup to it every night. We have a local server in our datacenter that we backup all of our web hosting and VPS accounts to daily.
Getting suspended is fine, that's their prerogative...But not giving you your backup? Your backup, your site, doesn't belong to them (unless you registered domain and got hosting with the same company...but you wouldn't do that unless you trusted the host with your life, but I'm sure you knew that OP). Even if you got hosting and domain with them, they can just be obnoxious about transferring out before your hosting/reg time is up...But they can't hold your stuff. I had a hosting company get suspended THEIR account suspended (passagehost.com...i truly believe they hacked their clients' sites to get money and bolt. They offered like $6 a year on webhostingtalk and ass soon as crap hit the fan, their posts disappeared and every trace of them was gone...ugh) but still have access to my cpanel.
Agree.. So, you should also mention if you have violate any of their term in any way ? Do you have any idea about it ?
If you are being suspended for not paying your bill or doing something illegal I would not expect any assistance from your host. What is the reason for the suspension, have you spoken to them at all, try giving them a call if not.