Domains and registration FAQ

Q1: I can’t find a domain registration facility on your website, do you register domains?
A:
We do not have automated registration facilities on our website because it is not the main part of our business. Most of our registrations are for existing customers, so we know the registrant is genuine and the domain will not be used for questionable or illegal purposes. This helps to maintain the integrity of our service provision and protects our other customers. If you would like to register a domain through us please use the form on the Contact page. We will respond to genuine enquiries.

You should provide an email address that is not dependent on the domain you wish to register, or transfer to us.  This is to ensure we are still able to contact you by email if there is a problem with your domain – we cannot contact you if your email address is unusable because your domain has been suspended.

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Q2: If I register a domain do I own it?

A: No, you cannot own a domain, but registering a domain grants you a license to use it for the period of that registration and for any periods you add to it subsequently.

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Q3: What do you do for me, exactly?

A: We act as your agent – a go-between, between you and the registry.  We register and maintain your domain on your behalf so you don’t need to.  That means that you tell us what needs to be done and, within certain limits, we do it.  We are not the registrant of the domain.  We have a contract with the registries which allows us to sell domains on their database.  We also have a contract with you which means you agree to pay us for expenses we will, or have, incurred in registering or renewing a domain on your behalf; to notify us of changes promptly; to tell us well in advance of the expiry date of your domain if you no longer want it, and some other things.  You will find full details, including pricing on our Domain Registration/Renewal Terms & Conditions page.  You also have a legally binding contract with the registry, which is why it is important that you read their Terms & Conditions (see next Question).

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Q4: Is there anything I need to do before I register a domain?

A: Yes!  Domains are subject to many rules, some of which are country-specific.  You should always read the rules of the country  regarding domain registration for the name you want to register and the Terms & Conditions of the relevant registry.  For UK domains that registry is Nominet, who require that you read and accept their Terms & Conditions before registering a domain and before each renewal (they can and do change) before proceeding.  If you ask us to register or renew a domain for you, whether directly or through a third-party, we do so on the understanding that you have complied with this requirement.  The majority of our non-UK domains are registered through eNom, a US registry.  Please read their Domain Registration Agreement.  Other Terms & Conditions may apply so you should also check for, and read, any that may be relevant.

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Q5: How do I transfer a domain to Intrascape?
A:
Please contact us to let us know you wish to transfer in. You should also check before transfer that the registrant’s and the administrative contact information is correct, particularly the email address, and that the email address is not based on the domain name being transferred.

If you are transferring a UK domain (any domain ending with .uk), we will provide you with our IPSTAG name when you contact us. You should either pass this to your current registrar and ask them to transfer the domain to us, or log into your domain account and enter the IPSTAG name into the transfer section (please refer to your registrar for assistance if you do not know how to do this).

UK domain transfers may be made at any time prior to the cancellation date and are  normally completed within a few minutes.

US domains (e.g. .com, .net.org), and some others, need to be unlocked before a transfer request may be made, and then a transfer key should be generated. If you have a domain control panel you can do these things yourself, otherwise please ask your registrar to do them for you. The key will be sent to the email address shown in the domain’s administrative contact details, so check this is correct before you start and is not based on the domain being transferred. Once you receive the key please send it to us immediately, together with the domain name, and we will request the transfer. Transfer keys are only valid for a short time, so please send it to us quickly.  The transfer process may take several days, but can be completed within one day if everyone responds quickly although this may also depend on the registry.

Some domains, including US domains, are automatically renewed on transfer to a new registrar (this is not under our control) and you will be responsible for paying the renewal fee to us. Suspended US domains cannot be transferred; they must be active and transfers also cannot take place within 2 months after registration or renewal.

The process for other domain transfers may vary and we, or your current provider, will advise as necessary.

Transferring UK and US domains is usually a simple process. There is no charge for transferring to us, but your current registrar may charge you to transfer your domain away. You will still be reponsible for any outstanding bills due to your current registrar in relation to your domain name or hosting after the transfer has completed.

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Q6: How do I transfer a domain away from Intrascape?

A: Different domains may have different rules regarding transfers.  Please contact us using our support email address in the first instance (if you register your domain through one of our hosting resellers you should contact them, not us) and we will advise.  There is a small administration charge for transferring domain names away.

Non-UK domains may not be transferred once they have been suspended, nor within 60 days of registration or renewal.

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Q7: Will I have a domain control panel?
A:
No, but please be assured this will not affect your ownership of the domain.  We provide a managed service for our customers, and will make any changes for you so you don’t need to be concerned about anything other than telling us if there are any changes.   Your domain information must be kept up-to-date, so please make sure you let us know if you move home or office, or change your email address.

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Q8: How do I renew my domain name?
A:
Customers with domains registered directly through us will receive automated reminder emails before the domain is due to expire. Some will contain no links (to try to circumvent aggressive spam filtering that may prevent emails being delivered), others will have a link to enable you to make payment online via this website.  If your domain is registered through one of our hosting resellers the renewal notice will go to them and they will contact you.  We will not contact you directly, nor should you contact us.

It is very important that you add us to your list of safe recipients for email, and that you advise us immediately if any of your contact details change, or you may not receive the reminders and your domain could be suspended or even deleted. Please get into the habit of checking your junk mail and/or deleted items folder daily as sometimes emails containing links are intercepted by spam filters and automatically moved there. Our renewal emails contain links to our website and to our payment page (you may also go directly to the Domain Renewal page under Services & Support).

If not renewed in advance, US domains are suspended on their expiry date. UK domains are suspended approximately 28 days after the expiry date.  Other domains may have different rules.

Please note: Our standard method of contact for all purposes is email, and our emails will have our contact details and a note about email safe lists in the footer although server-generated emails may differ from this. If you receive communication about your domain name from any other organisation – or are not sure if an email has come from us – please contact us immediately. Only your registrar can renew your domain, so please do not part with money to anyone else for the renewal (there are examples of scam emails on the Hacks and Scams page).

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Q9: What should I do if my domain registration has been suspended?
A:
Please contact us immediately. Nominet allows approximately 28 days from the expiry date before they suspend a UK domain, and you will still be able to renew it any time before the registration is cancelled – approx. a further 8 weeks – without penalty or difficulty.

US domains may be renewed for up to 4 weeks (approximately) after their expiry date  without penalty but, after that, renewal will become much more expensive.  N.B. the US registries’ T&Cs state that they are not obliged to offer this 4 week grace period  and we therefore strongly recommend you to renew your domain before it expires.

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Q10: Can I host my website and email with Intrascape but leave my domain with another registrar, or vice versa?
A:
Certainly. Domains and hosting are separate items, so don’t need to be kept together. Once we have set up your hosting plan, simply  ask your domain registrar to point the domain name server (DNS) entry for your account to our DNS servers, or change it yourself in your domain control panel. We will provide you with the necessary information to do this at the time.

Likewise, if your domain is with us but your website is hosted elsewhere, ask your host for the names of their DNS servers; then email the information to us and we will change the DNS entries for you.  Please forward the information provided by your ISP, or copy and paste it into a new message if you prefer, and email it to us.  In order to prevent errors we only accept emailed instructions. 

DNS changes take time to fully update – up to 24 hours for UK domains; up to 48 hours (occasionally longer) for US domains.  Other domains may vary.  Update times are down to the speed at which servers across the internet update their information and is outside our control. Your website and email may be unavailable while DNS is updating, so please be prepared for this. If it is critical, you may wish to schedule changes for a time when it is likely to cause the least disruption, shortly after 6pm, for example, if your office closes at 6pm, or over a weekend.

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Q11: What happens if someone other than me asks you to make changes to my domain, or asks for my hosting account login details?
A:
Please rest assured we do not give out any confidential information to third-parties without your written authorisation. If you have previously authorised us to deal with a specific person or organisation we will comply with the request.  If you have not authorised them we will contact you first to find out if the request is genuine and you will need you to confirm that in writing before we will proceed.  It is best to notify us of the name and email address of any such person or organisation in advance if they are to act for you, as that will save time later.

If you authorise us to release information to, or deal directly with, any third-party on your behalf it is your responsibility to contact us immediately if the situation changes. The authorisation will stand until you notify us otherwise in writing.

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Q12: How do I report abuse to you?

A: Please use the form on our Contact Us page or contact us on our support email address.

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Q13: What do I do if I’m not happy with the service I am receiving from you regarding my domain(s)?

A: Of course we hope this situation will not arise, but we understand that occasionally things may not be handled as you might wish or expect.  There may be reasons for that, which may not be within our control.  If you have any concerns please get in touch with us either through our support email address or use the form on our Contact Us page.  Complaints will initially be handled by support staff who will pass it to more senior colleagues if necessary.  In the unlikely event that we are unable to resolve any issues you or we may seek advice from Nominet, in the case of UK domains, or the relevant registry for non UK domains.  N.B.  If you register your domains through one of our hosting resellers please contact them in the first instance and they will get in touch with us.  You should not contact us directly for any reason.

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Q14: Why do you charge more for domains than some other companies?

A: We do not sell advertising space, nor do we use any of your information for marketing purposes for our own use or to sell on, if we did we could reduce the price but it would be at the cost of our customers’ privacy and we will never do that – we don’t even use cookies! Many of the larger companies use domains as loss-leaders, selling for the same price or less than they pay for them. In the case of other countries’ domains, many of the large organisations operate as registries authorised by their governments, so they are in direct control of issuing domain names. We have to buy from them and therefore we pay more.

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Q15: I have a question about domains but the answer is not here, what should I do?

A: Please ask your question using the form on our Contact Us page. We will get back to you as quickly as possible and may include your question and our answer here.

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