The Registrar Agreement sets out certain responsibilities for registrars.  If you believe a registrar is in breach of this agreement then we may be able to help you.  We are not a regulatory or governing body and cannot comment on the business practices of our members. This page outlines how you can complain to us about the actions of a registrar. If your complaint is about the service provided directly by Nominet, you should refer to the Nominet complaints procedure.

The revised Registrar Agreement and Good Practice Terms were introduced on 1 March 2007 with the intention of raising standards in the Internet industry.  The Good Practice Terms were written specifically to address certain issues that have been the subject of complaints we have received from registrants and registrars alike. 

Some of these complaints relate to:

• Registrars not transferring domain names upon request
• Charges for registrant transfer and other services not being clear on the registrar's web site or contract documentation
• Service timescales not being stated clearly
• Registrars not acting upon instructions to update registrant contact data
• Domain names being registered in the registrar's name without explicit permission of the registrant
• Resellers not providing the same level of service as the registrar to which they are contracted
• Registrars not making registrants aware of our terms and conditions and how it impacts on our relationship with both parties
  

We will be discussing the implementation of the Good Practice Terms with all registrars and checking back at regular intervals to ensure they are complying.  However if you have experienced any of the problems above or have been made aware that a Nominet registrar is not complying with the Registrar Agreement and Good Practice Terms, we will investigate the complaint and take steps to remedy the situation.

How do I complain about a Registrar not complying with the Registrar Agreement?

We would advise you firstly to contact the registrar direct and ask them to resolve the situation.  If you do not receive a satisfactory response,  you can submit a complaint to our Member and Registrar Services team.  If you are happy for us to pass on the information that you have supplied to the registrar in question, we will investigate the situation and respond to you with our findings.  We may ask you to sign a declaration that the information you supplied is accurate.

You can contact the MaRS team by email at support@nominet.org.uk, by fax to 01865 332281 or by telephone on 01865 332233.

If you have made a complaint to the team and are not happy with the response that you receive, please address your complaint to the Member and Registrar Services manager.

Please send your complaint to:

Member and Registrar Services Manager
Nominet
Minerva House
Edmund Halley Road
Oxford Science Park
Oxford
OX4 4DQ

Fax: 01865 332281         Email: complaints@nominet.org.uk

What happens next?

1. When the department manager has received your complaint, it will be acknowledged within two working days.
2. We will then contact the registrar in question, pass on the information you have supplied and request a response.  We would aim to respond back to you within 10 working days.
3. If the situation requires a longer investigation, we will contact you within 10 working days to inform you of this and let you know when you can expect our response.
4. Your complaint will also be kept on file to enable us to monitor the number and types of complaints we receive.
   

What happens if I am not satisfied with the response I receive?

If you are not satisfied with the response that you have received from the department manager, you can escalate your complaint to the Director of Operations.  All escalated complaints should be made in writing and include the following information:

• Your name and contact details and the registrar information if appropriate
• The domain name(s) concerned (if appropriate)
• A clear description of your concern or complaint
• What steps you would like us to take to resolve the issue
• Please write "Complaint" clearly on the top of your letter or in the subject line of your email.
  

Please send your complaint to:

Director of Operations
Nominet
Minerva House
Edmund Halley Road
Oxford Science Park
Oxford
OX4 4DQ

Fax: 01865 332290      Email: complaints@nominet.org.uk

What happens next?

1. When the Director of Operations has received your complaint, it will be acknowledged within two working days.
2. We will then fully investigate your complaint and aim to respond within 10 working days.
3. If the situation requires a longer investigation, we will contact you within 10 working days to inform you of this and let you know when you can expect our response.
4. Your complaint will also be kept on file to enable us to monitor the number and types of complaints we receive.
   

What if my complaint is not about a breach of the Registrar Agreement?

If your complaint does not concern a breach of the registrar agreement, you should submit your complaint directly to the company concerned.  If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, one of these authorities may be able to assist further:

Trading Standards Office   http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/
Consumer Direct (England, Wales and Scotland)  http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/
Consumerline (N. Ireland) http://www.consumerline.org/
Office of Fair Trading     http://www.oft.gov.uk
Advertising Standards Authority   http://www.asa.org.uk
Information Commissioner  http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
Internet Service Providers' Association (ISPA)   http://www.ispa.org.uk