Website rescue, and a way out for good.
Website rescue for when your developer has gone and nobody can get in
Your web designer has stopped answering, the site's falling apart, and you're not even sure who holds the domain. We work out what you actually own, get you back in control, then move you onto a site that's in your name, so this can't happen twice.
Sound familiar?
The person who built your site has stopped replying. Perhaps they've retired, moved on or gone out of business. Perhaps they never said a word, and you found out when the site went down or a renewal bill went unpaid.
Or nobody has gone anywhere, but the site is so old and so held together with plugins that nobody will touch it. You can't change your opening hours without ringing someone. Either way, it's your business's front door, and you don't have the key.
First, we get you back in control.
Before anything gets rebuilt, we find out what you've really got. This part is calm, slightly detective work, and it's often less bad than it feels.
Who holds what.
We look up your domain and find out which company it's with, whose name it's in and when it runs out. We do the same for your hosting and your email, and write it all down on one page for you.
Getting logins back.
Often it's a matter of a password reset, or of proving to the registrar or host that the business is yours. We'll tell you what to send and who to send it to. The logins go in your name, and you keep them.
A copy of everything.
If we can reach the site at all, we take a full copy before touching anything. Words, photos, addresses and any orders or customer records, so nothing depends on the old setup surviving another week.
Keeping your email running.
Your email usually hangs off the same domain, and it's the thing that hurts most if it stops. We check how it's set up before anything else moves, so a website fix doesn't quietly stop your enquiries.
Then we move you off it.
We're not in the business of nursing an old site along. Rescuing it is the first step, and getting you onto something better is the point. We'll keep the old one up while the new one is built, then swap them over.
You get a fast, hand-built website that doesn't rely on a stack of plugins, with your best words and photos carried across. Every old address redirects to its new home, so your place in Google comes with you as far as it possibly can. If you've got a shop or a system stuck on the same setup, that can move at the same time.
So this can't happen twice.
The domain, the hosting and every other account go in your name, paid for directly by you, with your own logins. You get a plain note of what's where. The code is yours, and it's written in a way another developer could pick up.
We'd like you to stay with us because we're useful, and not because you can't leave. If we vanished tomorrow, you'd be inconvenienced for an afternoon rather than stuck for six months.
Questions about website rescue.
My web developer has disappeared. What should I do first?
Don't panic and don't pay anyone yet. Look up who holds your domain, check when it runs out, and find any old emails about hosting or renewals. Take a copy of your site's words and photos while it's still up. We've written a step-by-step guide to what to do, and we're happy to look at it with you.
What if the developer registered the domain in their own name?
It's more common than it should be, and it's usually fixable. If you can reach them, ask for it to be transferred. If not, the registrar can tell you what proof it needs. For .uk addresses, Nominet also runs a dispute service. That can involve formal steps, so we'd suggest legal advice if it gets that far. We can't give that ourselves.
Can you just take over and maintain my old website?
Only for as long as it takes to move you off it. We'll get it stable and safe enough to keep trading, but we don't take on long-term care of systems we think should be replaced. It wouldn't be good value for you. If yours really is fine and just needs a few updates, we'll say so.
Will my email stop working?
It shouldn't, because we check that before anything moves. Email and websites are often tangled together on the same domain settings, which is exactly how they get broken by accident. We note how yours is set up, keep it running while we work, and test it again straight after any change.
Will I lose my place in Google?
If we can still reach the old site, we can list its addresses and redirect each one to its new page, which gives you the best chance of keeping what you've earned. Things can wobble for a few weeks during any move. If the old site is already gone, we can often still find its addresses in Search Console or public web archives.
How much does a website rescue cost?
Working out what you've got is usually a quick job, and we'd tell you what's involved before any charge. The move itself depends on the size of the site and what needs carrying across. You'd get one fixed price in writing for that. Running costs go on your own accounts, so nobody can hold them over you again.
Website rescue for your trade.
Some of the trades we build for. Or see everyone we help.
Got something that's slowing you down?
Tell us what's eating your time, in your own words. We'll tell you honestly whether we can help, and what it would take.