I am hoping someone using BT as domain registrar can help me with this.

I am the admin contact for a business domain hosted with my own registrar 123-Reg. The business has been taken over by a new company and they have instructed their web designer to request a transfer to their registrar - BT.

Neither I or the registrant have any objections to this, so I obtained the AUTH code and sent it to the new owners. The problem is that the email I subsequently received from BT is confusing.

It seems to suggest that rather than simply 'approve' the transfer, I (or the existing registrant) are required to enter into a new contract with BT. There is no mention of a fee (the domain is already renewed until the end of 2009) however I don't want to incur a charge. I have emailed BT but have had no response to date.

Does anyone know if it is safe for me to click the 'approve' link, or am I going to get a bill from BT?

If you are doing this for a client, you can ask them to agree with the transfer and the eventually resulting fees.

You may also take a look at other contract conditions, which could have a negative impact. For instance, some clauses may specify that you not only transfer the domain, but also the ownership of it, etc.
I don't know how it is with BT, but as an incumbent operator, they may be used to, to dictate their own terms.

Thx Ghia. I have subsequently been advised to change the admin, tech and billing contacts before approving the transfer. However, the billing contact is my own registrar and I don't know if I can even alter that record.

I really just want to lose the domain without cost, but I'm not sure if that is going to be possible.

OK, my final report is... I eventually clicked the 'approve' link in the BT email. This simply presented me with a 'Thanks, your decision has been noted' message. A day later I got an email from my TLD host (TuCows) saying they had received an authorised domain transfer request from BT.

The email gave me an final opportunity to login at TuCows and decline the transfer if I wished, or alternatively do nothing if I wanted to allow the transfer to proceed. I did nothing and - as stated - the transfer took place a few days later.

The transfer-in fee and domain renewal was paid for by the BT account holder. There was no cost to me because 123-Reg/TuCows do not (currently at least) make a transfer-away charge.

Anyway, thx for the responses to my post. Also, to give credit where due, 123-Reg were prompt and helpful answering my support ticket about this.

Quote:
Yep. I should have done that. My contact details are still listed on the WHOIS.

You live and learn