If your agency disappeared tomorrow, would you still have a website?

Many consultants don't hold the keys to their own site, domain or email. Here is how to take them back.

Is this you? Tap any that are true.

Most people reading this tick at least one.

It only takes one to cost you.

steps: 7; steps
to start: 1 hour; to start
scorecard: Free; scorecard

The short answer

Your domain name is the one part of your website you cannot replace, so get it registered in your own name first. Then get your own administrator logins to the website, hosting, email, Google Business Profile and analytics, and put ownership in writing with your supplier. Most consultants can do all of this in two to four weeks for under £50.

What good looks like

Where you stand, before and after

Mr Sam Patel, Consultant Orthopaedic surgery

Domain, hosting and logins in your name
Change supplier any time and keep everything

WebsiteBook onlineCall

Illustrative sample, not a real person or result.

7 steps

Do it yourself: step by step

0 of 7 done

List your domain, registrar, hosting, website platform, email, Google Business Profile, Google Analytics, Search Console and directory logins. Run a WHOIS lookup on your domain (Nominet's lookup for .uk, ICANN's for .com) to see whose name it is registered in
Time
1 hour
Typical cost
Free
Who does it
You or your secretary
Why it matters
You can't protect what you don't know you're missing.
Done when: Every item on the checklist has a named owner and you know where the login is
Ask the current holder to change the registrant to you, or to give you the authorisation code so you can move it to a registrar account in your own name. Use an email address you control, not an agency address
Time
1 to 3 weeks, mostly waiting for the supplier
Typical cost
£5 to £30 a year in registration fees (Solvable estimate)
Who does it
You, with your supplier
Why it matters
Whoever owns the domain owns your address online, and often your email.
Done when: The registrar account or WHOIS record shows you as registrant and you can log in
If your email runs on your domain through Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, make sure the main administrator account is yours and that you have a copy of the domain's DNS settings
Time
1 to 2 hours
Typical cost
Usually £5 to £15 per user per month, which you may already pay (Solvable estimate)
Who does it
You or your supplier
Done when: You can log into the email admin console yourself
Use it now · Step 3
Ask for your access back
A polite email to whoever manages your website.
Who manages itYour name
Tone
Your message
Subject: Access to my website and accounts
Hi Sam, I'm tidying up the admin for my practice and want to make sure I have my own access to everything. Could you please: 1. Confirm the domain is registered in my name, or transfer it to an account I own 2. Set me up with an admin login for the website and hosting 3. Add me as owner on our Google Business Profile and analytics You're welcome to keep your own access too. Thanks for your help. Best wishes, James Carter
Keep a copy of every reply.
Want someone to sort it out for you?
I'll handle the transfer and make sure everything is in your name.
Your answers aren't linked to you. We keep anonymous totals to improve these checks.
Ask for an administrator account (not editor) on the website platform, such as WordPress, and a login to the hosting account. If they will not give hosting access, ask for a full backup of the files and database
Time
About 1 week
Typical cost
Free to £150 if the supplier charges for an export (Solvable estimate)
Who does it
Your supplier
Done when: You can log in as administrator and you hold a recent backup

This problem is Solvable.

Copy this checklist

Website ownership checklist

Free to copy, adapt and use. No sign-up.

Checklist

Website ownership checklist

Fill in one row per item. Anything with "supplier" or "don't know" in the owner column is your to-do list.

Item	Supplier or platform	Registered owner	Login held by	Two-factor on?
Domain name ([yourname].co.uk)	[registrar]
Hosting
Website platform admin (e.g. WordPress)
Email (Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace)
Google Business Profile	Google
Google Analytics	Google
Google Search Console	Google
Directory profiles (Doctify, hospital consultant finder, insurer finders)
Photos and written content (originals)

Before you sign off, check you have

Domain registered in your name, with your email as contact
Administrator (not editor) login to the website
Hosting login, or a full backup dated within the last month
Primary owner on Google Business Profile
Administrator on Analytics and Owner on Search Console
Written confirmation you own content, photos and design
Every login in a password manager, shared with [secretary name]

Email to send your supplier

Subject: Website ownership and access

Dear [supplier name],

As part of tidying up my practice records, please could you:

Confirm the domain [domain] is registered in my name, or transfer the registrant to me at [your email].
Set up an administrator account on the website for [your email].
Give me a login to the hosting account, or send a full backup of the site files and database.
Add me as Primary owner on the Google Business Profile, Administrator on Analytics and Owner on Search Console.
Confirm in writing that I own the website content, photos and design, and that you will hand everything over within [14] days if I move supplier.

You are welcome to keep your own access while you work on the site.

Kind regards, [Your name]

Avoid these

Common mistakes

Letting an agency register the domain in its own name to save you the bother.
Accepting editor access and assuming it is the same as administrator.
Using an agency or hospital email address as the domain contact.
Discovering the problem only when the agency closes or the relationship sours.
Paying for a new site without first getting the old content and photos back.

Free personal check

Done by Paul Robinson, not software

I'll check who really controls your domain, website and profiles

What I need from you

Your website address
Answers to seven tap questions

What you get

Who holds each part of your online presence
What to move into your name first
The wording to put in writing with your supplier

Within 2 working days

No sign-in, no sales call. I read every request myself and reply on WhatsApp.

Free tools

Check where you stand

Do you hold the keys to your website?

You know who controls your domain, hosting and logins
Your domain is registered in your name
You have your own admin login to your website
You have admin access to your Google profile and analytics
You have it in writing that you own your site and content

0 of 5 answered

Answer them all to see your score.

Your answers aren't linked to you. We keep anonymous totals to improve these checks.

Your illustrative estimate

£5,000

Solvable estimate. Rounded to the nearest £500. Updates as you type.

Rebuild cost

Starting figure £4,000 (from £4,000 (Solvable estimate)). Change it to match your practice.

Weeks offline

Starting figure 3. Change it to match your practice.

New patient enquiries per week

Starting figure 3. Change it to match your practice.

Conversion rate

Starting figure 50%. Change it to match your practice.

Initial consultation fee

Starting figure £250 (midpoint of £250 (Default: £250, a typical self-pay initial consultation fee (Solvable estimate). Change it to your own fee.)). Change it to match your practice.

Formula

cost of losing control = rebuild cost + (weeks offline x new patient enquiries per week x conversion rate x initial consultation fee)

Variables and defaults

rebuild cost: £4,000 (Solvable estimate)
weeks offline: 3
new patient enquiries per week: 3
conversion rate: 50%
initial consultation fee: £250 (Default: £250, a typical self-pay initial consultation fee (Solvable estimate). Change it to your own fee.)

Defaults only. Change them in the calculator to use your own numbers.

Assumptions and defaults

rebuild cost = £4,000 (Solvable estimate)
weeks offline = 3
new patient enquiries per week = 3
conversion rate = 50%
initial consultation fee = £250 (Default: £250, a typical self-pay initial consultation fee (Solvable estimate). Change it to your own fee.)

Solvable estimate. £4,000 + (3 x 3 x 50% x £250 = £1,125) gives about £5,100 for a typical solo practice, a one-off cost the steps here avoid. Lost patients are valued at the first consultation only, so this is a floor.

Benchmarks

2 to 4 weeks
Typical time to regain full control of domain, website and Google profiles, most of it waiting for the supplier
Solvable estimate
£2,000 to £6,000
Typical cost to rebuild a consultant website from scratch if you lose access and have no backup
Solvable estimate

Paul Robinson

14 years in UK private healthcare

I solve this one for consultants

Want a hand? I'll look at your situation and tell you the three things I'd tackle first.

A few quick questions, about two minutes. I read every one myself and usually reply the same day.

No sales call unless you ask for one. Just a straight answer from me.

I reply personally, usually the same day.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Will my agency be offended if I ask for this?

Rarely. Good suppliers expect clients to own their domain and logins. Frame it as tidying your records and let them keep their own access.

What if the supplier refuses or has disappeared?

If a .uk domain is registered in your name, you can manage it through Nominet's free Online Services or contact Nominet's support team. If it is registered in the supplier's name, you need their cooperation or legal advice. For other domains, contact the registrar with evidence it is your name and practice.

Will moving the domain take my website or email offline?

Changing the registrant does not. Moving to a new registrar can cause a short interruption if the DNS settings are not copied, so take a copy first.

Do I need to own the hosting too?

Not necessarily. You need either a hosting login or a recent full backup, so you can move if you have to.

Who should own the Google Business Profile?

You, as Primary owner. Your supplier or secretary can be a Manager.

Last reviewed: 30 October 2026

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The short answer

Where you stand, before and after

Do it yourself: step by step

1Find out who holds what1 hour · Free · Easy

2Move the domain into your name1 to 3 weeks, mostly waiting for the supplier · £5 to £30 a year in registration fees (Solvable estimate) · Medium

3Secure your email1 to 2 hours · Usually £5 to £15 per user per month, which you may already pay (Solvable estimate)

4Get admin access to the website and hostingAbout 1 week · Free to £150 if the supplier charges for an export (Solvable estimate)

5Take ownership of your Google profiles1 hour, plus up to a week if Google asks to verify you · Free

6Put ownership in writing1 hour · Free · Easy

7Store every login safely1 hour · £0 to £5 a month (Solvable estimate)

Website ownership checklist

Common mistakes

I'll check who really controls your domain, website and profiles

What I need from you

What you get

Check where you stand

Check where you stand5 questions · 2 min

What's this costing you?Optional: work it out with your own numbers

How we worked this outMethod, formula and assumptions

Suppliers who solve this1 supplier. No one pays to be listed

Why this keeps happening

What it leads to

Want a hand? I'll look at your situation and tell you the three things I'd tackle first.

Frequently asked questions

Will my agency be offended if I ask for this?

What if the supplier refuses or has disappeared?

Will moving the domain take my website or email offline?

Do I need to own the hosting too?

Who should own the Google Business Profile?

Related problems

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