Names.co.uk Domain Renewal Scam
I wrote previously about Names.co.uk (Namesco), headlining that their .co.uk domain names cost £9.99 for two years and hiding the fact that when it comes to domain name renewal, the price double to £19.99! Actually, the Namesco .co.uk domain name renewal is £23.99, as they add VAT onto the advertised price as well.
I highlighted the Namesco domain name renewal scam back in April and I was assured by Names.co.uk’s Charlotte McKelvie that I would be contacted by Namesco’s UK Marketing manager, Stephen Ewart, to discuss it, but he likely couldn’t find the time to discuss such a trivial matter. Not only did he not call or email me, he didn’t think that it was important to make it clearer on the Names.co.uk site that .co.uk domain name prices double after the first domain name registration - the information on the site is still misleading and hidden so deeply that it would take Sherlock Holmes to find it.
This being the case, that Namesco seem to be happy to “hide” the fact that their co.uk domain name registrations doubles in price, I want to make sure that everyone is aware of the fact, before they jump in and buy a .co.uk domain name from Names.co.uk.
Companies like 123 Reg charge less that Namesco for the first two years anyway, (£6.89 for two years at the time of writing), and they don’t double the price when your domain name comes up for renewal.
Shady Tactics
I have no objection to Namesco charging double for their .co.uk domain name renewals. They are entitled to charge what they want for their products. I do, however, strongly object to all of the advertising and all but a hidden sentence on the site pointing to the fact that the cost of their domains over two years is £9.99 and then being slapped with a fait accompli when the domain name renewal comes around. Why fait accompli? because if you don’t want to pay the £23.99 for renewal, it costs you £12 (inclusive of VAT) to move the domain name to another registrar - Shady, shady, shady!
2 Responses to “Names.co.uk Domain Renewal Scam”
May 10th, 2012 at 12:29 pm
Namesco are always doing this. If you looking on there website it also says Web Hosting Packages £3.99 per month ex. VAT well in fact that’s the price if you pay yearly, thats the cost it works out per month. Well Im with 1&1 now who don’t lie about there pricing and I don’t have to wait 30 minutes on hold when I just want to make a payment over the phone!
ex namesco customer, 2 years since I left them, been the best two years of trade yet.
May 22nd, 2012 at 12:13 pm
I am annoyed at namesco for charging £10+vat, I cannot afford to move the domain and so I am stuck with them
Stay away!