Confusion about selling a domain

jcpren · Jun 21, 2012

Hi folks,

I have been using the domain jedicouncil.co.uk in a personal capacity for several years. However, I closed my site earlier this year, and I'm now interested in selling the domain, probably on DomainLore. This is a new experience for me, so I'm looking for some information about the transfer process -- especially since my current registrar has given me some advice that completely contradicts what I thought I would have to do!

Since this is a UK domain, I was expecting that I would complete a transfer using the official tools available on Nominet's website. I got in touch with my current host/registrar (Lunarpages/Tucows) to ask about what I was allowed to do under the T&Cs, since this was a free domain as part of my hosting package, albeit registered in my own name. As well as telling me that I'd have to wait 60 days from the most recent renewal date (which is fine, as this period has now passed), they also advised me to use their own domain management tool at https://manage.opensrs.net to complete the transfer. I asked about the Nominet official tool, but they never commented on it, and repeatedly mentioned their own tool at opensrs.net

I can't help wondering if they're just not used to dealing with UK domains, being an American host, and don't have experience of the official Nominet facility.

You can read a copy of the full support ticket (with support staff's names deleted) (EDIT - removed).

I would be very grateful if someone on here could read over the support ticket, clarify why they're saying what they're saying, and give me some independent advice. Ideally I'd prefer to use Nominet's procedure if I can, but I don't want to run into difficulty with the transfer and hence a possible dispute with a buyer.

Many thanks!

John

jcpren · Jun 21, 2012

Hi Matty,

Thanks - that's what I thought, and I do have access to the domain on the Nominet website.

Ideally I'd like Lunarpages/Tucows to confirm that they'd allow the buyer to transfer registrar as part of that process, but as you can see, they keep ignoring all my questions about Nominet, and going on instead about opensrs.net.

Any idea why they're taking that line, and do you foresee any trouble if I ignore their support advice and just use Nominet anyway?

tifosi · Jun 21, 2012

They're wrong on a lot of counts. What is messy is probably the hosting contract that involved the 'free' domain.

Essentially as the registrant of the domain you can do what the hell you want with it - within Nominets T&C. Nothing to do with the hosting company.

A registrant transfer & registrar transfer are 2 different things though. Although you can do both during a registrant transfer.

If you sell a .uk domain do you have to wait 60days from registration to move/sell it?
NO. That's for .coms

As a .uk domain registrant you will have an account with Nominet where you can make changes to the domain - including registrant transfer & registrar release - independent of the current registrar/host. The login for this is on Nominets home page top right.

When you sell a domain you log into this account and activate a registrant transfer. Only way to do it. The new registrant will then change the registrant & probably the registrar during that process.

So if the registrar/host wants to charge a small fortune to 'move' the domain away, ignore that. It costs £12 through Nominet, and free to you if as normal the buyer pays the transfer fee.

What the primary issue is here is the hosting contract with the company involved and the fine print on termination of the deal before & after a set time.

The .UK confusion is always a reason I *strongly* suggests never using a US based registrar for .uk domains. Many don't have an actual relationship with Nominet and normally go through a proxy company using their ipstag such as TUCOWS or ENOM. Saying that its often the vice-versa case for UK based registrars.

jcpren · Jun 21, 2012

Thanks for all the help.

I'm going to go ahead with the listing. I do have access to the domain on the Nominet website, so I'm just going to transfer it that way, and ignore Lunarpages' incorrect advice.

I can't find anything in their T&Cs about punishing early sales of free domains or early termination of accounts (after all, I paid for my hosting up front, so it's not like they'll be losing any money).