Is it just my experience, or is 1 and 1 to be avoided by everybody?

When I was new in the industry, I found this domain name registrar via Google. I regret the keywords that I typed in to this day, probably "cheap domain name registrar" or something like that.

I quickly found that their web interface left much to be desired, in terms of not allowing registrants to perform any bulk actions. My experience of their customer service was awful. No one could do anything. Then I found a much cheaper and better registrar – Fabulous.com – I can highly reccomend them if youre in the unfortunate position of still being with 1and1.

So I transferred all the domains I could. Unfortunately, Fabulous do not reg anything except .com, .net., .org and .info. I had a few .co.uks, and left them in my 1and1 account.

Then in 2007, I got a bill for all the damned domain names that I had transferred out of 1and1 and regged with Fabulous. I could not believe it… So I rang "customer services" and got the usual response – "I know nothing". After alot of my time and much stress, I got a credit note from them. I thought it was all finished.

Same month, next year, I got another invoice for the same domain names. I cancelled my account with them and then just left it, thinking, they might realise themselves and I wouldnt have to waste my own time. I was very wrong. I eventually got a note stating that they had past it to their debt recovery service.

I then wrote a letter threatening legal action and sent it all the emails and faxes I could find and followed up with a phone call a week later. I also asked for my details to be removed, under the UK’s excellent Data Protection Act. About 2 weeks later, I got a credit note. That was in January 2009. No confirmation of removal of my data.

I was dreading the same thing happening later this year. So I sent an email copied it to all the emails for 1and1 I could find (for the UK, these are as follows: billing@1and1.co.uk, complaints@1and1.co.uk, hostmaster@schlund.de (check 1and1.co.uk’s whois) , invoice@1and1.co.uk, press@1and1.co.uk, info@1and1.co.uk, support@1and1.co.uk, transfers@1and1.co.uk ) as well as copying the Office of the Information Commissioner, BBC’s You and Yours, BBC’s Watchdog and the Office of Fair Trading (youandyours@bbc.co.uk, enquiries@oft.gsi.gov.uk, mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk, watchdog@bbc.co.uk).

Details were enclosed. I urged all the recipients to view http://www.webhostingtestimonials.com/hosts_name.php?id=1and1-reviews-ratings – a great overview of the experience of others. Within 24 hours, I finally received an acknowledgement that my details are no longer held on their database.

So – if I get any further invoices from them, they will have even more explaining to do…