Domain name help please

[powertools]

I have noticed in my time on this forum that some of you are website experts and I would like some advice.
I had a website via Microsoft small business live but as is there way they closed the service down and my domain name ended up with a company called Melbourne IT I looked into transfering it to my new website but it seemed very complex so I thought I would just let it expire and then re register it.
However 4 months after it has expired a Whois search still shows it as registered to me via Melbourne IT and my question is how long will it be before it will becomes available to register again ?

 

[UTMonkey]

Hi,

What happens when you go through the motions to register it?

 

[brianhabby]

Ask your current registrar to transfer it in, they may be able to do it for you

regards

Brian

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

What is the TLD? (.co.uk, .com etc)

 

[powertools]

Thanks for replies.
When I try to register it it says not available a Whois search shows it still registered to me.
It is .com I already have the .co.uk version of the domain name

 

[wobblycogs]

Personally I wouldn't even consider letting it expire as pretty much all domain names that have been used will be instantly snapped up by squatters as soon as the properly expire especially .com domains. The fact you can't currently re-register it means it's probably still in the grace period at the end of the registration period. There's a certain amount of time (I thought it was three months but maybe it's more) where the domain isn't strictly registered to you but only you can re-register it a whois would probably still show you as the registered owner.

If I were you I'd get on and renew it ASAP with Melbourne IT so you don't lose it and then go through the transfer process. Most registrars make it a pain in the posterior to move a domain name in order to try and keep your business and there's usually a charge of a few pounds. I've not moved one for a while but it meant hunting down an obscure print out form on the registrars website and sending them a cheque or something bizzare like that. IIRC .com domains now have locks on them as well to prevent malicious transfers away from a registrar so you'll probably have to inform them you want the lock removed for now.

 

[powertools]

Thanks for the reply.
You may be correct and I may well do as you advise. It just looked to me that their transfer process was made complex on purpose.
I think that the whole situation was made as hard as possible by Microsoft who I purchased the domain from in the first place.

 

[wobblycogs]

Undoubtedly the process will be as hard as they can make it because the whole industry is essentially unregulated and if they can force you to stay by making it difficult to leave they will.

To be honest if you can change the DNS servers / entries for your domain unless you have a really compelling reason to move it you might just be best off to leave the domain where it is. Either way get it renewed before you lose it.

 

[powertools]

Just a quick update so that those of you who offered advice don’t think that I ignored you.
I tried to renew the domain name with Melbourne IT but I had left it to late and the name was in the preparing to delete stage. I emailed them to say I would like to renew and their advice was to subscribe to their premium service for a payment of 50 dollars but they could not promise that this would ensure that I would be able to re register the domain name to me.
I just therefore just left it and a Whois search today said the domain name was avaiiable and I re registered it today via Yola who host my web sites.
Many thanks to the people who offered advice

 

[wobblycogs]

Sounds like Melbourne IT were trying to fleece you a bit there. Glad to hear you managed to get it re-registered though.