I really need help with something real quick...

I have a client who hired me to redesign his site. The domain name expires next year and the guy who registered it for him and did his last design sucks pretty bad. Anyhow, he was to give up the domain name to me. So I opened an account for my client at GoDaddy.com where this domain is registered, and I couldn't initiate a trasfer request of the name, because the registrar is the same.

So I told this guy he had to initiate the transfer himself per GoDaddy's policy. Now he tells me that he has to change the DNS record to reflect new developer and is charging.

Does anyone know about this, anyone! Deker maybe? I'm not familiar with the transfer thing but I thought he would just do the transfer into the new account, isn't it that easy.

He's charging us $42.50 and this is what he wrote in the PayPal invoice:

"Note:Invoice is for our time to change record. Normally we charge $85/hr min 2 hrs for any service we provide. I have lowered this to a half hour fee. All our fees can be found on our web site, http://linuxcn.net. When payment is received I will finish the task you requested.

We are not holding your domain hostage, we just want to get paid for our time spent."

Is this true, what is this guy trying to do? Is this legit? We're going with a whole different host and I'm putting the domain name under my clients name as he is the sole owner of the company name. What this guy did when he created the registration for this and what he did when he designed the site is beyond me. So what gives?

Can someone help me out because this guy didn't want to give up the domain name to begin with. So what should I email him back with?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers!

So basically old developer has control of domain at GoDaddy.com.

You are new developer and want to move control of the domain to your own GoDaddy.com account (or clients account).

I'm not familiar with GoDaddy's policy and method of doing things, but for my registrar all I would have to do is send a 1 sentence email to them and say " I want to move domain x to account y".

I don't think that is going to take 30 minutes, and I don't think it's worth $40.

[QUOTE=zerimar3]"We are not holding your domain hostage, we just want to get paid for our time spent."[/QUOTE]

yes he is. jerk.

chris

chris, thanks for your reply. So what do I do. I thought he was just to pass over the domain name in a transfer and then when I got the hosting I would just point the DNS thing to the server or something like that.

Can this guy do this...I mean, what can I do at this point?

Deker, I didn't get an email notification that you had posted, so I just saw it as I was reading Crhis' response so I came in to edit to address your comments as well. In regards to your response I figured that the transfer was pretty easy just like you said, but what's this guy's problem with the DNS crap?

I think he's ticked because we decided not to host with him any longer and my client told me he was a whiner. So should I just have the client contact him to release the name?

Thanks for your time and I hope to hear from you guys soon cuz I need to get this thing going quick.

Cheers!

You can point the DNS servers anywhere you want after the domain is switched to your account. All he has to do is write an email to tell the registrar to move the control of the domain to another account. Then you are in control of the DNS. He doesn't have to do a damn thing with the DNS. He's just trying to get a few more dollars out of you guys before you leave him for good. Just tell him you don't understand what could possibly take 30 minutes of his time, when all he has to do is write an email or help desk ticket and have it transferred.

If he still whines then get more forceful I guess.

You could also just contact GoDaddy and explain the situation. Wouldn't be the first time a host has tried to hold a domain hostage. I'm sure they have procedures in place for this kind of thing.

It's definately not a complicated process, and has been said before it's only a matter of opening a trouble ticket request or a short e-mail to change control. Once it is on your control I assume you can change the DNS if necessary.

Deker, I agree with all that you said, and I kind of knew that a bit, but I lack experience in how all this transfer stuff works. But I figured he has nothing to do with the DNS change thing or whatever he claims it is.

I've posted a screen shot of the invoice he sent me and I'd appreciate it if you check it out here:
http://www.bannersfx.com/temp/pp-invoice.gif

I just want to be sure I don't look dumb when I start getting forceful on this guy because my client forewarned me that he would start crying about crap. Thanks again for your time and help man...it's truly appreciated.

Cheers!

It looks like he's just thinking you want to point the DNS somewhere else, and he retain control of the domain to me. Even then it will take approximately 30 seconds to point the domain somewhere else. It's as simple as logging in and changing the numbers in two text boxes.

You need to get control of the domain away from this guy. I would contact GoDaddy and see what their policy is regarding this. Tell them that your client owns the domain, but it's under the developer's account, and you'd like to move control of it to another account. They may ask for photo IDs and things to be faxed in, but maybe you can get control of the domain without even contacting the other guy any further.

He doesn't need to change the DNS... this would be only if he was trying to retain control as Dek stated. He needs to simply notify the registrar (GoDaddy) that they approve the transfer. With my registrar (ItsYourDomain.com), they send an email that requests authorization for transfer of domain, with a click to reply thingy (I believe). If the current administrator is unresponsive, then the registrar can step in and force the issue--may require letter on letterhead from client, or some other proof of businees identity. There are anti-cyber squatting laws in place in the U.S. that say that someone cannot hold a domain 'hostage' if someone else has a legitimate claim to the domain. All that your client is libel to the current administrator for is payment that the butthead made for the domain in the first place (which the client has probably already paid for). Google for Anti-Cyber Squatting if you want more info.

Deker, Malibu, thanks for your replies. I'm getting a feel for this and I kinda figured this guy didn't want to give up the domain name and he's just trying to point the DNS to wherever else and not give us the domain name.

I called GoDaddy and basically they told me that if this guy registered the domain in his name, he's the legal owner and can resell the domain for whatever price he wants. I'm not sure if the name was registered under the client's name or under this other guy's name. But the representative didn't want to give me that information. However, my client runs a brick and mortar business which is Artistic Iron Doors and the site is www.artisticirondoors.com.

So the guy at GoDaddy told me if they have that name registered and copyrighted, they can seize the domain name but it would have to be proven.

But since my client originally went through this other guy who provides hosting and the design, I'm assuming he registered it under his own name and not the client's name. So the only thing we can do now is apply more pressure on this guy and have my client contact him or something with some legal threats...I don't know.

I will be contacting GoDaddy again today and seeing if I can get them to tell me who's name it's really under and take it from there. In the meantime I'll Google Anti-Cyber Squatting for more info and be back with an update later today.

Thanks again guys, appreciate your help.

Cheers!