My Comments below..

On Sun, 22 Sep 2002, Chris Berkeley wrote:

> We are currently tidying up a web site for a client in WA.
>
> The site is down because the domain is suspended as it has not been
renewed.

Hi Chris,

<snip>

The responsibility for renewal of any licence is with the licencee.

If you do not renew your driver's licence, and you drive and are pinged for
being an unlicenced driver, that's your responsibility. Not the RTA's; and
not the police force's. Even if you're not aware of it - it's still your
responsibility.

BUT... the RTA does send you a letter when your licence is up for renewal...
and even renewal papers for your car registration... An mostly if your rego
is out by a few days the police will allow you to continue driving... and
deem it as a reminding/wake up call...

Just because your client didn't know about what their responsibilities were,
does not make them any less responsible.

I have just experienced this problem with a client of mine... they didn't
not know when their domain was up for renewal... I have no way of finding
out when it is going to be up for renewal... because of the relative
uselessness of the current WHOIS setup... I was contracted to host their
website two days before their domain went down... when they couldn't resolve
their dns and their website went down.. they immediately suspected that our
service had gone down... which was quickly followed by several heated
telephone calls to my office.. The client in my case was never told what
their responsibilites were... even when you get a licence you must sign a
form suggesting that you know what your responsibilies are... no form or
contract or website was ever agreed to on the part of my client.

Should they have known when their licence expired? Yes

Should they be punished with loss of access to their domain? Yes

Should the domain have been unregistered allowing others to register it? A
resounding NO! They should have a facility to put it in a temporary Holding
zone... while the licencee is contacted!

Should AusRegistry have tried to contact them before deleting their domain?
Yes

To answer your points (IMO:)



</snip>



James Fiander
jfiander&#167;nimblehost.com
Nimblehost.com