Key facts
- Priced by quote, based on the number of domains and the clean-up needed
- The registrant is the legal owner: it should be the client
- Renewals tracked centrally with auto-renew
- DNS managed in Cloudflare
- Handovers use the normal IPS tag or auth code process
- Never use a former staff member's inbox as the contact email
The problem agencies inherit
Agencies collect domains over the years. Some were registered on a director's card, some under a former employee's email, some in the agency's name because it was quicker. Each is fine until a renewal is missed, a client leaves, or a designer moves on. Then a client's website and email stop, and the agency is the one fixing it.
It's also a sales problem. A prospect who can't get their domain back from their last designer is wary of the next one. An agency that can show a tidy, documented approach to client domains has an easier conversation.
Register in the client's name
The registrant is the legal owner of a domain. If you register a client's domain in your agency's name, you own their brand online, which is a liability for you and a risk for them. Register it in the client's business name, with accurate details. The agency can still manage it day to day.
For existing domains held in the wrong name, changing the registrant is a separate step from a transfer. On .com, .org and .net, many registrars apply a 60-day transfer lock after a registrant change, so plan the order. Our domain ownership guide shows how to check each one.
Track renewals centrally
Bring client domains into one place so expiry dates are visible together:
- Auto-renew on every active domain.
- A shared role address for reminders, not one person's inbox.
- A register of each domain, the client, its purpose and who pays.
- A clear decision on domains nobody wants to renew, made before they lapse.
Missed renewals cost more than the renewal: a .uk is suspended 30 days after expiry, and a gTLD in redemption carries a restore fee. See expired domain recovery.
If a client pays you for renewals, invoice ahead of the expiry date rather than after it, so a late payment never becomes a lapsed domain.
DNS and access
Managing DNS in Cloudflare gives each client domain the same set-up: proxied web records, DNS-only mail records, and a change history. Use individual logins with the least access each person needs, not a shared password, and remove access when staff leave. See Cloudflare DNS management.
Mail records must be DNS only, not proxied, because Cloudflare's proxy handles web traffic only. Keep a short standard for each client: which records exist, why, and who set them. That makes later changes quicker and safer.
Clean handovers when a client leaves
A client who leaves should get their domain without a fight. For a .uk name, change the IPS tag to their new registrar. For .com, .org and .net, give them the auth code and remove the transfer lock. Send them a copy of the DNS records first, so nothing breaks when they move DNS. Details on domain transfers.
A short written process helps everyone: who requests the handover, who confirms the registrant, what is sent to the client and when access is removed. Done well, a client leaving is a quiet, professional event.
How dijitul helps
Agency domain management is quoted, because it depends on how many domains you hold and how tangled they are. Send us the list and ask for a quote. New registrations go through the dijitul client portal, in each client's name.
How it works and what it costs
Domains are priced live in the client portal. DNS management and 10 mailboxes are included with dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT. On their own, DNS and email set-up is £45 an hour + VAT or a fixed quote.
Tell us what you have
Your domains, who they are registered with, where your DNS and email live today, and what you want to change.
Plan the change
We list every DNS record and mailbox first, so nothing is forgotten, and agree a time to switch.
Make the switch
Transfers, nameserver changes, DNS records and mailbox moves, done carefully with low TTLs and a rollback plan.
Check it works
We test the website, email delivery, SPF, DKIM and DMARC from the outside before calling it done.
Look after it
Renewals, records and email stay looked after, and you can call a person when something changes.
Frequently asked questions
Should an agency register domains in its own name?
No. The registrant is the legal owner, so the client's domain should be in the client's name. The agency can manage renewals and DNS on their behalf. Holding domains in the agency's name creates disputes when clients leave.
How do we move a client domain into their own name?
Change the registrant to the client through the registrar holding the domain. For .com, .org and .net, many registrars then apply a 60-day transfer lock, so make the change before or well after any planned transfer.
A client is leaving. What do we give them?
For a .uk domain, change the IPS tag to their new registrar. For .com, .org or .net, remove the transfer lock and give them the auth code. Send them a full export of the DNS records too, so their website and email keep working.
How is agency domain management priced?
dijitul quotes for it, based on the number of domains and how much clean-up is needed, such as wrong registrants, scattered registrars or missing DNS records. Send us your list and we will come back with a fixed quote.
Can several staff manage DNS without sharing one password?
Yes. Cloudflare lets you give individual users access to an account, so each person logs in with their own details. Remove access when someone leaves, and keep the account owner as a business-controlled address.
Related
Get domains, DNS and email sorted
Set up properly, records checked, and real people to call. DNS and email are included with dijihost hosting.