When a competitor owns your domain name...

scottmccloud · Jun 25, 2015

I've been doing some work for a client and I've been helping them get a new web designer. Being thorough, I thought I'd better check that the guy that built the site doesn't own the domain. He doesn't, but a rival company does!

What's happened is 15 years ago, they had the site built by this other company who weren't actually operating in the specific sector my client works in. They must have bought the domain when building the site and have simply never transferred it over. However, as this other company has grown over time, they now do work in the exact same sector as my client.

I'm 99% sure we'll get it back if we ask (I'm sure it's just one of those things that have been forgotten about) but are there any other issues we should be aware of?

Just to clarify, the name of the registrant is the rival company, but the registered address is my clients.

Adam H · Jun 25, 2015

I assume the registered email address is also the rival company ? Has your client been paying the renewals of that domain to the rival company for the last 15 years ? If so has he got the invoices to prove such thing ?

scottmccloud · Jun 25, 2015

That's what I'm waiting to hear back on now. Very odd situation.

Adam H · Jun 25, 2015

scottmccloud said:
That's what I'm waiting to hear back on now. Very odd situation.

Yeah ive been in similar situations before, never easy especially if one of the parties are not keen on coming forward.

Although i wouldnt be 99% sure the domain would be given back if they havent paid the bill for the last 15 years. If they are in the same niche now they might just tell him to piss off lol.