20-year-old domain name expires even though it was set for automatic renewal

[#1]

I have two domain names with Plus Net, set up in 2000 and 2004.

Both are set to renew automatically. The latter one renews on July 4th. I made sure this year, as I do every year, that it was set to renew.

Then I got an email on July 7th saying the domain name had expired.

I contacted Plus Net who said there was nothing they could do as it wasn't registered with them.

Checking whois and it is indeed now registered with a company called Enom. I've never knowingly transferred the domain name, and it still says in the Manage Your Domain section of the website that it is 'registered and hosted' by Plus Net. I have been able to renew it for the past 20 years.

Checking whois further, the IP Address mentioned is 212.159.8.91, which links to Plus Net, and the ASN mentions Plus Net too (United Kingdom AS6871 Plusnet British Telecommunications PLC, GB).

Added to this, the nameservers are http://NS1.FORCE9.NET and http://NS2.FORCE9.NET which are both linked to Plus Net. 

I can only assume that Enom hoovers up domain names that have been allowed to expire. But how has my domain name been allowed to go elsewhere, given that I've held it with Plus Net since 4th July 2004?

This is a total disaster for my business  - especially losing the email address linked to the domain - and I’m at a loss to know how it’s happened and what to do next.

If anyone has any idea how this could be sorted out I would be eternally grateful.

[#2]

Checking whois and it is indeed now registered with a company called Enom.

@kvh100 

I contacted Plus Net who said there was nothing they could do as it wasn't registered with them.

Absolute rubbish! Plusnet use Enom to register non-uk domains.

Get back onto support, explain that they use Enom, and get them to renew the domain pronto.

Post back with the results and if you can't get any sense I'll escalate it.

[#3]

Thank you so much for this, I really appreciate it. I've just added this information to the raised ticket.

Support has been saying since Sunday, both on the raised ticket and via Twitter DM, that Enom is nothing to do with them.

The latest development is that I now seem to be getting mail through to the email connected to this domain, and the holding page for my webspace is back to normal, rather than being just a landing page as it has been since Sunday.

Added to this, whois now shows the expiry date for the domain as 2025-07-04, ie it does seem to have been renewed.

However, 'Manage Your Domains' on the PlusNet member centre is still showing the renewal date as 2024-07-04.

If I can keep getting access to my email, I guess all I need now is for PlusNet to recognise that they register this domain with Enom and the nameservers etc point to them, so I'm confident that I can prove this domain name is mine and host it elsewhere later this year when PlusNet have said they will stop hosting domains.

Thank you again for your help. I thought the domain name had been snapped up by someone dodgy so that's a weight off my mind. If I don't get a reply from Support over the next few days on these further developments I'll take up your kind offer to escalate this.

[#4]

when PlusNet have said they will stop hosting domains.

@kvh100 can I ask where you got that information please ?

Yes, domain hosting is a legacy facility but AFAIK no notice regarding stopping providing it has been made!

Having said that, if you're using the domain for email then I'd suggest you do consider moving it as you won't have access to SPF & DKIM anti spoofing functionality (well you can get SPF with a fiddle workaround)

If you would like a recommendation, then I'd suggest a look at Mythic Beasts https://www.mythic-beasts.com/hosting. Their email only has very similar functionality & storage space to the Plusnet email system and costs £20/yr if paid annually. If you need webspace then the Web 25 product £30/yr , which provides email and webspace is again similar to the Plusnet offering.

[#5]

The main Support person I've been talking to this week wrote in one of her messages to me:

"Per our conversation, PlusNet is stopping supporting the domains, so you will have to start thinking about moving the domains to different providers. Please look around and see what options will be the best for yourself."

Thanks for the Mythic Beasts recommendation. I'm guessing I can't move anything anywhere until Plus Net accept that they host my domain and that they have it registered with Enom. Currently I don't see how I can claim the domain as mine and move it elsewhere if Plus Net continue to insist it's nothing to do with them.

[#6]

I'm guessing I can't move anything anywhere until Plus Net accept that they host my domain and that they have it registered with Enom. Currently I don't see how I can claim the domain as mine and move it elsewhere if Plus Net continue to insist it's nothing to do with them.

@kvh100 Someone must have realised that Plusnet have registered your domain, since its been renewed.

I'll escalate this thread anyway so that someone in the Help team can confirm that your domain IS registered by Plusnet (through ENOM). At least that way you have a 'stake in the ground' when it comes to moving it.

For information, to transfer a non-uk domain , you need an EPP code.

[#7]

Thanks again. Do I need to PM you my domain name for you to escalate this thread?

[#8]

@kvh100 no, one of the Plusnet staff will (hopefully) contact you directly by PM if they need any details. They can usually get your account information from your forum login, and thus the domain details.

[#9]

@kvh100 I'm sorry for the messing about with this and it's a bit tricky to see what's what when the details are redacted but I've contract the Netops guys who have informed me that they have located the domain and renewed it, this was processed on the 9/07/24.

This appears to have worked because simonblackwell.com whois lookup - who.is shows "Expires On 2025-07-04"

[#10]

Great. Thank you James.

Can I just ask, because of all this confusion, when I next need to renew this domain, should I ask for it to be done manually? And who should I ask? The 'Manage Your Domains' section of the Plus Net Member Centre still shows an expiry date of 2024-07-04 for this domain, despite the whois entry saying 2025-07-04, and I'd like to not go through all this again if possible.

Best to you @James30, and thanks again for your help @MisterW 

[#11]

I would look to move the domain before next renewal. Don't want the same issue next year.