Please help me with this domain name issue for my website (advice)?

[karl]

I have been trading for 5 years and want to move my website to another host. Can my existing host retain my .com domain if it's registered to them. I am worried they won't release it and it may affect my business. What can I do if they say they own my domain because it's registered to them? Is this legal? What steps can I take to regain my domain. Is there any official body I can report them to? Any advice would be appreciated.

[Keith]

Hi Karl

Yes. The question here is not who registered the domain, but who paid for it! Most companies use an IT service supplier to register their domains on their behalf. If you have been issued with an invoice for the costs of the domain name and have paid these invoices, then the domain name is legally yours. All that you need to do is advise your hosting company that you with to transfer your domain name to another hosting company. You need to get the two hosting companies communicating with each other. This is standard practice, so you should not have any problems.

Regards

Keith

[Jim S]

If they are the Registrant, they own it. You should read your terms and conditions for the domain name release WELL BEFORE the domain registration is due to expire.

Yes, it's legal that if somebody pays for something, they have control over it.

You may be entitled to relief under the UDRP. You have to sue first.

http://www.icann.org/en/help/dndr/udrp

[robert m]

All you need to do is identify who is registered owner (suitable link below) and then follow up on the advice given.