Can I delete or transfer a domain registration after signing up with a web host then canceling service?

Question

I signed up for a webhosting service for 1 year and for a domain name. The webhosting firm is a reseller, and I am not sure if a registrar owns this reseller.

I canceled within the money back guarantee time period because I already got a taste of their business practices at that time but was deducted more money than what they advertise on their internet site. I had paid full price for the domain name and for webhosting service. But that is a minor issue. I never used the website and they canceled my account. Thus, I cannot make any changes to my personal information or delete credit cards and cannot buy ID protect.

I requested that the website and domain name be deleted but they responded it has to be up for 1 year. It looks like reseller and registrar are cooperating and are sort of passive aggressive. The reseller is well-known but also has lots of complaints on yelp.

1. Is there any way I can have the website and domain name deleted and if so, what do I have to do? There is a website up in my name and I do not have any control over it. Makes me uneasy.

2. Is there any way of removing my information from who.is without assistance of reseller or registrar and who do I need to contact to change who.is information. The reseller or registrar?

3. What else should I be concerned about? Should I transfer to another webhosting firm? Concern: reseller or registrar will make it impossible or so difficult that new webhosting firm will lose interest.

Answer 1

I am expecting you don't have access to your Cpanel or Reseller's Customer login panel.

The best solution would be transferring your domain to another host it will give you the flexibility to keep hosting and domain decoupled, and you would not get stuck in the same situation again.

Below are the criteria you must satisfy to initiate transfer of your domain.

1. Your domain name is more than 60 days old with current registrar, and must not be expiring in next 45 days(this is not ICANN rule however, Most of Re-seller and registrar have this in their policies) .

2. There is no financial due on you.

Provided these your registrar may refuse to transfer request on below reasons listed by ICANN:

Your registrar may deny a transfer request in the following limited circumstances:

Evidence of fraud

Reasonable dispute over the identity of the person authorizing the transfer

Domain name is on hold due to payment owed for a previous registration period (including credit card charge-backs)

Express written objection from the domain name holder

Domain name is in "Lock" status (Registrars must provide a readily accessible and reasonable means for name holders to remove the lock status. Contact your registrar for assistance.)

Domain name is within 60 days of initial registration

Domain name is within 60 days of a previous transfer

Your registrar is required to specify a reason when denying your transfer request unless they are required. Contact either the current registrar or the registrar you wish to transfer to for information on the denial.

Your registrar must deny a transfer request in the following limited circumstances:

Domain name is the subject of a UDRP proceeding

Domain name is subject to a court order by a court of competent jurisdiction

Domain name is the subject of a TDRP proceeding

Domain name is the subject of a URS proceeding or URS suspension

Domain name is subject to 60-Day Change of Registrant lock

In case you satisfy all above conditions and your registrar refuse to transfer please write to ICANN regarding this.

ICANN Transfer complaint link : https://forms.icann.org/en/resources/compliance/complaints/transfer/form

To Initiate your domain transfer please follow the guide provided on ICANN sites.

https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/name-holder-faqs-2017-10-10-en

Answer 2

You should try to transfer the domain to another registrar. If the registrar you bought the domain from won't transfer the domain, then you technically don't really own it. Therefore this is fraud and you should report it to ICANN or maybe even VeriSign. On top of that, your payment provider may compensate you if you are lucky.

It seems that you and the seller had a fallout. Maybe he's fraudulent or maybe he doesn't have the proper customer service to handle these issues. If he's at all honorable, he should be willing to allow you to complete the domain name transfer. At the very least this will get you off of his back.

You could also change the DNS if possible. Registrars need to provide you with a Domain Management panel that provides a way to change your DNS provider. If you can change the nameservers then the current website won't be up in your name.