Hosting/domain name registration in France

Technology
#1

Apologies if this has been covered before but I couldn’t find a recent post on this subject although it’s similar to the question about registering .eu domain names.
When we had the business in the UK we used 1and1 now Ionos and we still have a number of domain names registered through them.
We registered a .fr domain name through ionos.fr so that my partner could start a related but different business here. So far so good.
What I’m concerned about is the personal domain names I currently have with suffix .me.uk as I would like to detach them from ionos.uk and don’t want to clutter up the business hosting arrangement, My questions therefore are -

  1. What company do people recommend for domain name registration - in France or the uk?(I’m not overly thrilled with ionos). I don’t need hosting necessarily.
  2. If .eu registration is not being continued in the uk, is the reverse true? I am no longer resident in the uk and have no address there so will my .me.uk domains no longer be possible? I have already had some problems paying ionos with a UK bank card having a registered address in France so I am nervous.

I’m sorry this is a bit garbled but I’m trying to work out the best approach from here. All comments appreciated (preferably ones that don’t point out I’m being daft!)

#3

Thank you @PeterJ . I’ve seen their name recommended before so will check them out.

Have you any information about what happens the other way round - ie to uk addresses if we are living in the EU?

#4

We use them too, have always been fine.

1 Like
#5

I have searched and found nothing in regards to UK domains. I suspect the UK registration org are not being as petty and nothing will change. My UK domain is registered at my mother in laws address in the UK - perhaps a friend or family member will be able to assist you if you experience issues with a UK address.

#6

I use Planethoster for domain names and hosting.

#7

I can certainly register an address that isn’t mine on my ionos.co.uk but the difficulty then comes with billing addresses. I am unhappy about the extent to which I am starting to lie and would be happier with a more honest approach if it is at all feasible :smiley:

Thanks for the endorsment @JJones

#8

@railang
I think this was the thread you were looking for…

#9

Thank you @Graham_Lees - I had read that one carefully before posting here!
However, it doesn’t answer my question because it’s coming from the other direction :smiley:

#10

I don’t recall one the other way round, sorry.

#11

No worries. I am getting tied in a knot at the moment trying to be honest about where I live with banks, cards, Paypal (what a nightmare that is) and ionos.co.uk is just the latest…

(Fortunately my banks happen to ones that are ok with it)

1 Like
#12

Nominet’s Terms and Conditions are listed here, they cover all .uk domains:

I can’t see anything which states you must be resident to have a .me.uk domain name - I suppose that it is possible individual registrars might try to enforce it though.

If ionos is getting uppity just transfer to a new registrar.

I don’t think the .eu changes are petty - the domain has specific rules which pre-date Brexit and they are being applied consistently, no different to people suddenly finding they can’t bring ham sandwiches into the EU from a non-EU country.

It’s no more petty than Nominet insisting that you are a UK academic institution before allowing you to register a .ac.uk address.

I use Network Solutions, not cheap (& they will rip you off even more with auto-renew if you let them) but they’ve never given me any real bother so lethargy keeps me with them for now. However as they are a US company I suspect they will not give a hoot about you paying for a .me.uk address with a French bank card.

#13

That’s very interesting, Paul @ptf . It may just be ionos that’s getting its knickers in a twist. Because of various activities, professional and otherwise, we have 10 domain names registered through them. I’m gradually paring them down but some have a lot of email addresses associated with them so will take a while to move.

#15

Indeed, and for .me.uk or .co.uk I don’t think you have to live in, or be a business registered in, the UK

But to register a .eu address you do, in fact, have to live in, or be a business with registration in, the EU.

A lot of the rules are lax and have been applied inconsistently which doesn’t help - .net, for instance used to be just for ISP’s then for a while almost anyone could get one - I think they tightened it up again a while back but I don’t know what the current status is.

.ac.uk is pretty strict (UK academia only), I think .org.uk is as well (UK charities), .gov.uk is very strict etc.

#16

Some payment platforms have always suffered from problems with oversea address - there’s one account I have to renew by phone.

There’s no restrictions as it stands on owning .co.uk domains.

I use Ipage & 123 Reg for my hosting

#17

That’s useful @chrisell - thank you.

#18

I don’t think it’s petty Peter. Brexit means Brexit, as I heard somewhere.

Update…

#19

I use OVH.com for domain names, hosting, email

#20

Thank you @Krister_Rosendahl - I shall pop over there and have a look.

#22

I have used Online.net (also currently operating as, or aka, Scaleway), for hosting, but which also does domain name registration via BookMyName.

#23

Thanks very much, @Alex_Thurgood - one to investigate!