Hostjacking is when a web designer highjacks website hosting and domain name management.

The web designer uses practices including:

– refusing to transfer a new design website to the site owners’ hosting
– copying an incomplete design to the site owners’ hosting
– incomplete transfers of plugins and software

Tricks that the designer blames on the host, making the owner believe the designer offers a better product.

Hostjacking also includes hijacking domain name managment.  This often happens when a website is being moved.  The host maintains management is required to update nameservers, when this is simply not true.  The practice is aimed at taking over management of the domain name.  There are many stories of increased renewal costs, other associated costs with management and even theft of the domain name.

In short, the designer uses practices that force the site owner to move hosting and domain name management.

Post web designer control

• Once the designer has control of hosting and domain name management, it controls price of hosting, domain name renewals and website changes (hourly rate). It will almost certainly deny access to the website.
• The benefit of not hosting with the designer is independence.
• The only benefit of hosting with a web designer is convenience, when the relationship is good.
• If the relationship breaks down, moving could be a real hassle. You hear horror stories full of things like bills not being paid, sites being taken offline or being held hostage. Yikes!

Remember that if you control the hosting account, you can get any designer you want to work on your site, without offending your previous one

Be Aware

Ask yourself who you trust?

• Do you trust the current host that you know or a web designer that you don’t?