Forget and move on?

[Champion]

There is a domain on my list of names I'd like to acquire and it has been on that list for just over 11 years.

Honestly I've tried everything to get hold of the owner, however every route I take results in a dead end. Every e-mail has bounced back (even the ones listed on the site). I've not received one letter back from the owner.

Is it time to move on and forget about it?

 

[GreyWing]

No, there are plenty of ways to track these people down, only in a very small percentage are the people totally untraceable. I have seen many where at first glance you think, no chance. But 99% of the time always been able to find them.

There are tools you can use, you just need to know what they are.

 

[Edwin]

Probably depends on the name of the owner. If it's owned by "John Smith" you may be stuck. But of course if there's an address attached to it, you can snail-mail them. If they're not at the address, then perhaps the new occupant knows where they moved to.

If they have an unusual name, you can try and narrow it down through searches, LinkedIn, Facebook and so on. A lot of people are either online, or get a mention from friends who themselves are online.

 

[Champion]

The owner in my opinion does not have a common name, so perhaps the method you have suggested may work.

I'll go through the notes ect. which I have built up over the years are start a fresh. I had a look at the area which the domain is addressed to and it is a church, I hope he has not passed away.

There is a website resolving albeit a very outdated one, and the domain is being renewed.

 

[Skinner]

Facebook is your pal

Look up his name, and in the same area.

 

[WestHamFan]

If all your emails to the website are bouncing it could be the business has ceased trading.

From the registrant rules at Nominet a domain registrant must:

4.1 give and keep us notified of your correct name, postal address and any phone, fax or e-mail information and those of your contacts (if you appoint any, see condition 5.2). This duty includes responding quickly and correctly to any request from us to confirm or correct the information on the register;

If you think they are breaking that rule then an email to Nominet questioning the current validity of their contact info may stir things up enough for you to get some answers if nothing else.

My understanding is that, if Nominet cannot make any contact with the registrant, they could decide to suspend the domain.

 

[Champion]

To further on your point WHF, the domain is listed under a UK Individual even though on the website it mentions customer support and sales. I may choose to contact nominet if I cannot make contact within the next few weeks.

 

[Skinner]

Champion, You can still be a UK Individual and trade, as long as your name is legal and displayed.

You can't trade and opt-out of the whois tho.

 

[Champion]

Just spoke with nominet about this, the owner/company has not ceased trading and therefore if I wanted the domain I would have to contact the owner.

 

[Edwin]

If the owner is a company, then why not look up their info at Companies House? Only costs a few quid...

 

[Champion]

I did that a couple of years ago, came up with nothing. As for the facebook idea, I cannot find a possible match on there either.

 

[retired_member13]

So let me get this straight:

1. The owners have had the domain you want for 11 years or more
2. The domain resolves to a website
3. The domain is being renewed
4. The website on the domain refers to customer support and sales
5. The company running the website has not ceased trading
6. ...and.. you've been trying for 11 years solid to get in touch with them about selling and they've ignored you all that time?

Hmmmm.

I'm getting a suspicious feeling that they might not be interested in selling or that your offers have been somewhat short of the mark in terms of persuading them to up sticks, move to and then reestablish and run their company from a different name.

..

 

[Champion]

So let me get this straight:

1. The owners have had the domain you want for 11 years or more
   
   That is correct, yes.
   
2. The domain resolves to a website
   
   Yes, however the website has not been updated since 2002
   
3. The domain is being renewed
   
   Yes, suggests an active owner
   
4. The website on the domain refers to customer support and sales
   
   Yes, all e-mails are not active and are being bounced
   
5. The company running the website has not ceased trading
   
   As far as I can tell, the website is a sitting duck and is no longer in use
   
6. ...and.. you've been trying for 11 years solid to get in touch with them about selling and they've ignored you all that time?
   
   No, its been on and off.
   

Domain is ~removed~ for those interested.

 

[retired_member13]

Makes more sense now.

FYI: The reason that the email address listed on the site is bouncing is that the domain for the email is currently unregistered - ie it's been deleted.

 

[Pred]

have you tried ringing them with the phone numbers on the site?

are those numbers no good
if so, i have the landline

this is the old site before the current one. funnily enough it looks more modern lol
click cv, or address, a plethora of phone numbers are there inc. fax etc
landline is best bet imo
http://web.archive.org/web/20011130170327/http://www.**.co.uk/

good luck

 

[GreyWing]

He also owns beamengines.co.uk which directs to the same site unfortunately. That was registered in 2007, so still active you would imagine.

 

[ScottJ]

Domain is **_co_uk for those interested.

Did you try contact him through this forum post that person has the exact same name and is in Burnham so looks to be him. You could register and try sending a PM to him.

 

[Champion]

I was just speaking to Edwin via PM and he pretty much just pointed out the numbers to me. It's the first time I've seen them.

It's been a few since I last tried to make contact, but have do not have them precise numbers written down. I have some old ones though. I'll give him a bell later on.

I personally have never seen the web achieve tool before, pred. Onwards and upwards I think.

Thanks to all that contributed in this thread.

 

[Edwin]

BTW, my blog post from last July might help...
http://blog.webmastering.co.uk/domain-names/finding-couk-domain-owner/

 

[Skinner]

Its a media company called "Multi Media Connections", there is a number listed in the phone book for them.