February 20, 2020
Accidentally letting a domain name expire happens to many, many registrants - and while you certainly won't be alone if it happens to you, it's something that should be avoided at all costs.
As the time draws closer to your domain registration expiry date, you'll receive more than one renewal reminder from your registrar. With so many distractions these days, renewal can be easy to put if off - and then forget.
Once your domain expires, your web site will no longer be accessible and if you use email connected with the name, that service will also be interrupted. For a business, this can be disastrous even if it's for a short period of time.
It's a scenario that has occurred to many people - from those with hobby sites, to movie stars and politicians. It even happened to the personal web site of Australia's Prime Minister.
Aside from procrastination, a major reason for people forgetting to renew their domain name is because they didn't receive the reminders, or the reminders went to the wrong person - often due to the contact details on the record being out of date.
This is something you should definitely not put off - check the record of your domain/s now to ensure the contact details are correct.
Learn more about domain name expiry processes.
Perhaps letting registration lapse may be a conscious choice rather than an accident.
Even if you're happy to let a domain expire, registrants need to give consideration as to what may happen to the name if someone else should pick it up - particularly if the name had a site closely associated with you previously.
An example is what occurred to the Prime Minister of another country, Nepal, who for whatever reason let his personal domain name expire. It was snapped up by someone else who then proceeded to use it to host adult content; so visitors thinking they were headed to the PM's spot on the web would have had quite a shock.
There are also potential security implications; particularly for names associated with a business. A new registrant could use it to pose as your company and then attempt to scam your customers; putting your business reputation at serious risk.
Sometimes it's just best to keep a name even if you don't think you'll be using it again - and you never know, you may change your mind. But if you're set on relinquishing the name, run through a decommissioning process first.
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How to register a name: Enter your choice in the search tool and click 'GO'. If after the check the domain names search results show your choice is available, you will then have the option to proceed to purchase registration; which is a very quick and easy process - start a search and find your ideal website address now.
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