How to Transfer a .Co.Uk Domain to cheaper Registrar?

[501cards]

Hi Guys

Hope someone can help with this,

I have 2 websites,

1 a .com registered in the US for which I pay annually for hosting, this alos allows unlimited subdomains, so I have my .co.uk which is registered with melbourneIT pointed to a subdirectory on the US Site.

(With me so far!)

Anyway the renewal notice for the next 2 years on the .CO.UK site has just come through from MelbourneIT and they want $180 AUS to reregister it for another 2 years, What are they smoking!, They do not hosting they just redirect to my US provider.

So what Iam asking any Experts out there is, how do I go about moving my .CO.UK Registration away from MelbourneIT to a cheaper registrar, all I want to do is pay for X Years and continue to have it pointed at my US Sites subdirectory.

Any help appreciated, as I really do not fancy paying MelbourneIT $180 for what most other places seem to charge a couple of quid a year for!.

Oh and the rerason it is with MelbourneIT is it was a Free domain from Microsoft Live and when they shut down the free service it was dumped to MelbourneIt

Cheers

 

[gramps]

Melbourne have a history of being 'difficult' in getting domains released.
A guide to the procedure can be found on many registrar sites, e.g. UK Superweb (not a recommendation, just an example):-

To retag a .uk domain name:
Contact Melbourne IT and ask them to retag the domain name to ISP tag UK Superweb.
Alternatively, you can retag/detag directly through Nominet, for a fee.
When you transfer a .uk domain name, use the Auto verification transfer method.
You can submit the transfer requests to UK Superweb and Melbourne IT in any order.
If you submit the transfer request to UK Superweb first, you must submit the request to Melbourne IT within a week.
If you submit the transfer request to Melbourne IT first, you must submit the request to UK Superweb by the next 8th day of the calendar month.

You may find that the Nominet route will be the most efficient and helpful.

 

[Steep]

MelbourneIT are a top level registrar I think, they are the people the cheaper registrars go through. I think the easiest way would be to go to your preferred registrar and ask them to sort it for you.

 

[TCR4x4]

I get this every 2 years with my domains. I buy through 123-reg.co.uk but get invoices from Nominet when they expire for over £100. I only pay about £7 for 2 years for .co.uk through 123 reg.

I think if you set up an account with a provider like 123reg you can then transfer your exsiting domains to them. I think they do all the work, but you might need to check this out.

 

[501cards]

Hi Guys

Thanks for the advice, I have set up with freeparking who will hold the domain and allow me to point it at my existing US provider for no charge, and can renew at a LOT less than the crazy $180 MelbourneIT wanted,

Have started the process with Freeparking, MelbourneIT have now responsed to my email and said they will release on production of the site security key which I have sent them today, so with luck it should all be sorted fairly soon

Cheers

Richard