Nominet offering refunds

[martin-s]

I'm sure Stephen will elaborate, but (quite incredibly) one of the threads on the Nominet member forum has led Nominet staff to admitting that contacting the support team with an instruction to cancel domains on the basis of clause 34 will result in a refund.

If you would like to invoke your refund right, you should please contact Nominet customer services before 1 March 2016. We will need a clear irrevocable instruction from you, plus details of the domains that you want to cancel.

Portfolio holders might well wish to explore this!

 

[Brassneck]

I'm sure Stephen will elaborate, but (quite incredibly) one of the threads on the Nominet member forum has led Nominet staff to admitting that contacting the support team with an instruction to cancel domains on the basis of clause 34 will result in a refund.



Portfolio holders might well wish to explore this!

Had a quick look at the clause, but haven't looked at the Nominet member forum. Practically, how would this work?

Thanks
Stephen.

 

[ian]

Also interested to know how this would work?

 

[Stephen]

clause 34

..... one of the threads on the Nominet member forum has led Nominet staff to admitting that contacting the support team with an instruction to cancel domains on the basis of clause 34 will result in a refund.....!

Thanks for starting a thread here, it was on my do to list!

Andrew actually stated that my be a possibility, quoting the section.

34. The internet is constantly changing and developing. As a result of this, we reserve the right to make reasonable changes to the terms of this contract (including the DRS policy, DRS procedure and rules) at any time during the term of the contract. We will only do so when we have good reason. Unless we are acting because of a legal requirement or a court order, the change will only be made after we have consulted publicly. We will publish a notice in advance (ideally, 30 days in advance) on our website and provide a link from the main page. The changes will apply from the date shown in the notice. You should visit our website regularly to find out about any changes. If you do not agree with any change to the conditions, you may notify us that you want to end the contract in at least 30 days’ time. In this case, we will give you a proportionate refund of the registration for the remaining period.

and a member of the Nominet legal time provided the quote that you started the thread with, the next day.

The Nominet terms change on 1st March under the new contract,
as does the price.

So Nominet are trying to restrict to that date.

I'm going to submit a single domain for refund as a test today and will post what happens.

It is an avenue for some domains.

Stephen

 

[ian]

So getting this straight, should you have any domains you feel you do not wish to continue renewing at the new rate, you can request cancellation and Nominet will refund you any remaining time the domain has presumably on a pro-rata basis? Does this apply to domains acquired and therefore haven't been paid for in the current year? Surely they are asking for a large number of portfolio holders to recover some money from thinning out their domains a little?

 

[Stephen]

request in writing

Have had a response back to my single domain refund request from Nominet, send in earlier today.
Quick service, indeed.

It appears anybody wanting the refund, will have to use a form of words (I have requested what form they should take)
plus have to submit the request in writing.

Also Nominet are adamant that the claim needs to be in before 1st March 2016,
despite the vast majority of registrants will only find out of the change of Nominet terms when they renew or register a UK domain.

Stephen

 

[Edwin]

And what did they refund you? The remaining period of the registration, pro-rated by month? Or just a year's worth for domains with over a year to run?

I think a simple ABC guide to doing this would be a wonderful gift to the Acorn community, if you would be willing to take the time to sit down and spell out the process in repeatable detail.

 

[martin-s]

Was this sent via email Stephen, or?

 

[Stephen]

before 1st March 2016, in writing

And what did they refund you? The remaining period of the registration, pro-rated by month? Or just a year's worth for domains with over a year to run?

I think a simple ABC guide to doing this would be a wonderful gift to the Acorn community, if you would be willing to take the time to sit down and spell out the process in repeatable detail.

Sorry going out now but hope this is helpful, will try and add, if anything more comes to light.

I sent this morning an email to Nominet cancelling a domain early,
and they have very quickly turned the request around to their credit.

Nominet are stating that the request must be received before 1st March 2016, in writing.

Nominet have been helpful with the form of words and have supplied the following;

please send all domains that you wish to request cancellation for in one request, per registrant, i.e. you as an individual or on behalf of your limited company in the following format:

'Dear Nominet

Due to the change in registrant terms and conditions on 1st March 2016 I wish to cancel my domains <below/as per attached list>
effective from <date of request plus at least 30 days>.
I therefore request a proportionate refund of the registration for the remaining period. I confirm this request is irrevocable.'

As you can see a minimum 30 day period not expired and pro rata on days remaining.

Also if you supply bank details if amount over £25 (ish) they will do a Bank transfer, otherwise they will send you a cheque.

Hope this helps and a big thanks to Andrew who brought up the clause in the existing contract.

Stephen

 

[Stephen]

VAT implications?

Have emailed Nominet requesting they clarify the VAT implications.

Stephen

 

[Murray]

Is anyone actually going to bother with this?

I can only imagine it would be worth bothering with if you had a massive portfolio of stuff you realise now is rubbish or perhaps you registered 100's of domains to spam companies with sales emails in the hopes of getting the odd sale.

 

[Edwin]

Is anyone actually going to bother with this?

I can only imagine it would be worth bothering with if you had a massive portfolio of stuff you realise now is rubbish or perhaps you registered 100's of domains to spam companies with sales emails in the hopes of getting the odd sale.

I may. We've been dropping about 25% of our domains anyway, in anticipation of .uk. The price rise just accelerates that process, since there's no way that a decent sale will be possible after June 2019 without being able to offer both the .co.uk and the .uk - and that costs significant money in volume!

So a thousand domains dropped is going to be probably about £2,000 back, which pays for 330 renewals. Every little helps.

 

[Murray]

So a thousand domains dropped is going to be probably about £2,000 back, which pays for 330 renewals. Every little helps.

Yes would be silly not to take advantage.

 

[Edwin]

BTW, it's not that what we're dropping is "junk", it's just stuff that I don't see carrying its weight (given that we've probably got to renew 99 names for every one we sell, and those 99 renewals just shot up in price)

 

[Murray]

BTW, it's not that what we're dropping is "junk"

I would say the goal posts for what is and isn't junk moved with google updates

 

[Edwin]

I would say the goal posts for what is and isn't junk moved with google updates

But they moved a lot more with Nominet's meddling.

Price increase of 50%, and .uk = total cost of ownership increase of 300% in three years time.

Since neither the price rise, nor .uk materially increase the value of .co.uk domains (as yet, anyway) that 300% has to be countered some other way.

 

[spiderspider]

So do the refunded domains become instantly available once the refund has been processed?

And if the domain had ROFR on .UK, does the UK also become available?

I know the number of domains being refunded would be low, but just curious

 

[Stephen]

.uk would not be available to register in all cases

I can't imagine why they wouldn't do.

I would imagine that it is possible to register the .uk version (if had .co.uk rights)

if it was felt that a .uk was better domain to carry on with than the .co.uk?

and then obtain Nominet for refund only on the .co.uk remaining period

in which case the .uk would not be available to register

Stephen

 

[martin-s]

if it was felt that a .uk was better domain to carry on with than the .co.uk?

Seems a bit unlikely!!