Sound familiar?
- Your website or email stopped working overnight and the domain may have expired
- You cannot log in to the registrar because the account belongs to an old web designer
- The website works on your phone but not in the office
- Email stopped arriving after someone changed the nameservers
- You have domains spread across three different registrars
- The SSL certificate will not issue because the DNS is wrong
Key facts
- .uk domains are run by Nominet and move between registrars by changing the IPS tag, not with an authorisation code
- .com and other generic domains need an EPP authorisation code to transfer, and are usually locked for 60 days after registration or transfer
- DNS changes take effect as cached records expire, controlled by each record's TTL
- Nameserver changes can take up to 48 hours to be seen everywhere
- We check MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC whenever we touch DNS so email keeps working
- DNS fixes: £45 an hour + VAT, 30 minute minimum
Why domain and DNS problems hit so hard
Your domain name holds up your website and your email. If it expires, or a DNS record is changed by mistake, both can stop at once. The tricky part is that DNS is cached around the internet, so a problem can look fixed in one place and broken in another for hours.
dijitul has been trading since 2006, and DNS sits underneath almost everything we support. We fix the immediate problem, then tidy up the setup so it is documented, renewed automatically and in an account you control.
The records that matter
| Record | What it does | Typical problem |
|---|---|---|
| NS | Says which DNS provider is in charge of the domain | Changed to a new host without copying the email records across |
| A / AAAA | Points the domain to the web server's IP address | Still pointing at an old server after a website move |
| CNAME | Points one name to another, such as www | Missing www record, so www.yourbusiness.co.uk does not load |
| MX | Tells the world where to deliver your email | Pointing at an old provider, so mail goes missing |
| TXT | Holds SPF, DMARC and verification codes | Two SPF records, or verification records left over from old services |
| CAA | Limits which certificate authorities can issue SSL certificates | Blocks Let's Encrypt, so SSL renewal fails |
For email authentication records specifically, see email security.
Expired domains and lost registrar access
If your domain has expired, act quickly. Most registrars hold an expired domain for a grace period during which you can renew it at the normal price, followed by a redemption period where recovery costs more, before it is released for anyone to register. The exact timings depend on the domain extension and the registrar.
A very common situation is a domain registered years ago by a web designer, in their own account, who can no longer be reached. For .uk domains, the registrant named in Nominet's records is the legal holder. If that is your business, we can help you prove it and move the domain to an account you control. For .com and other generic domains, we work with the registrar's ownership process.
Transfers and moving DNS safely
Moving a domain or its DNS is where most outages happen. Our process:
- Export every existing DNS record before anything changes, including MX, TXT, SRV and CNAME records for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and third-party services.
- Lower the TTL on key records a day ahead, so the switch takes effect quickly.
- Recreate the full zone at the new provider and check it matches.
- Change nameservers, or for .uk domains, change the IPS tag to the new registrar.
- Check from several public resolvers that web, email and SSL all work.
For .com, .net and similar, transfers need an EPP authorisation code from the current registrar, and are usually blocked for 60 days after a domain is registered or transferred.
Domain housekeeping that prevents outages
- Auto-renew on, with a current card, and renewal emails going to a shared address rather than one person's inbox.
- Registrant details in the business name, not a former employee or designer.
- MFA on the registrar account, because whoever controls the registrar controls your email and website.
- Registrar lock enabled on generic domains to block unauthorised transfers.
- Fewer registrars: consolidating domains into one account makes renewals and audits far simpler.
- Old verification and SPF entries removed for services you no longer use.
We can check all of this in one short session and give you a list of every domain you own, where it is registered and when it renews.
Pricing and hosting
Most DNS fixes, record changes and propagation checks take under an hour, charged at £45 an hour + VAT with a 30 minute minimum. Domain recovery from an unreachable previous owner can take longer and depends on the registrar, so we tell you what is involved before we start. If you would like your domains and hosting managed together under one roof, our sister company runs UK web hosting and domains. For website moves, see website migration support.
What it costs
Support plans from £25 a month + VAT, or £45 an hour + VAT for one-off fixes. Pick a plan if you want it looked after every month, or pay by the hour for a one-off job.
Essential
Keep it updated, backed up and watched.
- Website software updates (core, plugins, themes) applied and checked
- Daily backups
- Uptime monitoring
- Security monitoring
Business
Updates plus an hour of fixes every month.
- Everything in Essential
- 1 hour of fixes or changes every month
- Priority support
Complete
Website and your team's IT, covered.
- Everything in Business
- 3 hours of fixes or changes every month
- IT and Microsoft 365 helpdesk for your team
No plan? The first 30 minutes are the minimum charge, then we bill in 15-minute blocks.
Frequently asked questions
How long does DNS propagation take?
Changes to individual records usually take effect as cached copies expire, based on the record's TTL, often within minutes to a few hours. Nameserver changes can take up to 48 hours to be seen everywhere. dijitul lowers TTLs before planned changes so switches happen faster.
My domain has expired. Can it be recovered?
Usually, if you act quickly. Most registrars allow renewal during a grace period after expiry, then a costlier redemption period, before the domain is released. dijitul can check the domain's status, contact the registrar and get it renewed and pointing at your website and email again.
How do I transfer a .uk domain?
.uk domains are transferred by changing the IPS tag to the new registrar's tag at your current registrar. No authorisation code is needed. The new registrar then accepts the domain. dijitul can handle the transfer and make sure all DNS records are copied first so nothing goes offline.
Our old web designer controls our domain. What can we do?
If your business is the registered holder, you have the right to control it. dijitul helps you check who the registrant is, request access from the registrar and move the domain into an account you own. For .uk domains, Nominet's records show the legal registrant.
Why does my website work on some devices but not others?
This is usually DNS caching after a change: some devices or networks still hold the old record. It can also be a missing www or AAAA record, or a router with stale DNS. dijitul checks the records from public resolvers and fixes whichever is wrong.
How much does DNS support cost?
dijitul charges £45 an hour + VAT for DNS and domain work, with a 30 minute minimum and then 15-minute blocks. Most record changes and propagation problems are fixed within an hour. Domain recovery from a third party can take longer, and we explain that upfront.
Related
Get it fixed
One-off fixes are £45 an hour + VAT. You'll know the likely cost before we start.