For one reason or another they've needed to change where the domain points or to edit the details held against it.
This seems to be a fairly widespread problem and one that can remain undetected until the vital moment a change needs to be made.
What causes this problem?
The problem can be caused by web designers or developers who register a domain name on behalf of a client but use their details instead of yours. Once the domain is registered the web site is uploaded and the site runs without issue, everything seems ok.
The problem can also be caused by a member of staff who registers a domain name for the company they work for but uses incorrect information when doing so.
How can I check my domains?
Both of the scenarios above can result in the domain name you've been using for the the past 2, 5 even 10 years not being fully under your control. Making a change to how it works might be harder than you think. 
To check whether your domain name is correctly registered to you or your company we need to look at the WHOIS details for the domain.
- To perform a WHOIS lookup for a .co.uk domain name (or any other domain that ends .uk) you can visit the Nominet web site: www.nic.uk
- Enter your domain name in the box at the top right of the site and you'll be presented with a new page with formatted text.
The important fields in this case are the ones shown in the image below. You need to check that the data in the "Registrant" and "Registrant's address" fields match your company details. (The field highlighted in blue will be the company used to register the domain with Nominet)
The image above uses zenwebsolutions.co.uk as an example and shows two possible outcomes.
On the left are the actual details, Zen Internet Ltd is listed as the Registrant. Zen Web Solutions is part of Zen Internet so this is fine. The address lists our previous building (now used only for network equipment and connectivity) which is still owned by us, again this is fine.
The example on the right shows what might have occurred if the company that designed our web site registered our domain name for us but used their company details instead of ours.
Another common scenario can be seen below. Again, on the left are the correct details. On the right are the details of an individual who is either employed or previously employed by your company.
What should I do next?
If you see the details of another company in the Registrant and Registrant's address fields you should call them and request that they contact Nominet to update the WHOIS details to show the correct information. This will most likely be a web design, development or IT company you've used in the past.
If you see the details of a current employee they will either:
- ...have received a welcome email from Nominet with login details for the Online Services site.
or
- ...have received a "confirmation of registration letter" through the post.
If they received the welcome email they can login to the Online Services site and make the changes to the registrant details. If they have the confirmation of registration letter they can login here and do the same.
If the person listed previously works for your company you can try to contact them to complete the steps above or contact Nominet directly. They'll be able to issue you a new welcome email so you can login to the Online Services site.
If you have .com, .net or other domains that don't end in .uk you can check the WHOIS details by visiting www.whois.net. If the details do not match your company details you should contact the company or person listed as "Technical Contact" or "Tech Contact". Their contact details will be displayed under their name.
Zen Web Solutions offer complete web design & development services and are able to provide advice and perform WHOIS detail checks for any of our clients.
To speak with a consultant please call 0845 058 9050 or complete our contact form.