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Hostgator - Account Suspension

by WittyT
16 replies
Hey guys,

I just started building a couple of micro niche sites, and as one of them shows really no promise, I'd like to drop it. So I thought I just wouldn't pay for the auto bill that's created every month by Hostgator.
They just sent me an email saying that bill was overdue... but they also stated that if I didn't pay in the next 5 days, my account would be suspended.
Now, do they mean that they will suspend the WHOLE account with all my other sites or just that one site for which I don't intend to pay?
I've read some horror stories about them, so I prefer asking to be sure
#account #hostgator #suspension
  • Profile picture of the author TiffLee
    Originally Posted by WittyT View Post

    Hey guys,

    I just started building a couple of micro niche sites, and as one of them shows really no promise, I'd like to drop it. So I thought I just wouldn't pay for the auto bill that's created every month by Hostgator.
    They just sent me an email saying that bill was overdue... but they also stated that if I didn't pay in the next 5 days, my account would be suspended.
    Now, do they mean that they will suspend the WHOLE account with all my other sites or just that one site for which I don't intend to pay?
    I've read some horror stories about them, so I prefer asking to be sure
    Do you have one hosting plan on which you house all of your sites?

    ... if so, HG is probably going to put the axe to all of your sites.

    And it is not exactly a "horror story" to have your account cancelled/suspended because you decided to not make your payment.

    Next time, instead of flaking on your payment, use this link: https://secure.hostgator.com/cancel.php
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  • Profile picture of the author Robert Michael
    Be sure you contact them - Even if you just "forget" about paying them and you let them suspend your hosting, they STILL bill you each month, even though your hosting was suspended.

    They did this to me. I was able to get them to remove the invoices, but still. Thats not cool. After finding out they still charge you each month even if it's suspended, that was a deal-breaker for me.

    I won't be using HG ever again. lol
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    • Profile picture of the author Welsh Warrior
      Originally Posted by Whos That Guru View Post

      Be sure you contact them - Even if you just "forget" about paying them and you let them suspend your hosting, they STILL bill you each month, even though your hosting was suspended.

      They did this to me. I was able to get them to remove the invoices, but still. Thats not cool. After finding out they still charge you each month even if it's suspended, that was a deal-breaker for me.

      I won't be using HG ever again. lol
      Huh? You entered an agreement where you were to pay every month and then rather than tell them, you just stopped paying. since they still had to keep all your info on their systems in case you unsuspended they continued to bill them (as per the agreement you signed up to and broke)...and it is them being 'not cool'?

      Takes all sorts I suppose.
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      • Profile picture of the author Robert Michael
        Originally Posted by Welsh Warrior View Post

        Huh? You entered an agreement where you were to pay every month and then rather than tell them, you just stopped paying. since they still had to keep all your info on their systems in case you unsuspended they continued to bill them (as per the agreement you signed up to and broke)...and it is them being 'not cool'?

        Takes all sorts I suppose.
        Uh.. considering I signed up for monthly service, no its not cool.

        Once the hosting is suspended, your site is no longer online.

        If your site is offline for 5 months before you even think about even logging in, then when you do login, you see they charged you for those 5 months even though they didnt even give you the service.

        Why would you pay that???

        Obviously they were in the wrong.. They canceled those invoices and cleared the debt.

        I thought that there was no need to cancel the subscription because they automatically did it when it was suspended.
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        • Profile picture of the author TiffLee
          Originally Posted by Whos That Guru View Post

          Once the hosting is suspended, your site is no longer online.
          ... it may not be online, but the company is still storing all of your files so that, if you do decide to do pay up and unsuspend your account, you can get up and running quickly.

          Unfortunately, the onus is on you to make sure you correctly cancel your account to avoid monthly payments for the storage of your files. The onus certainly is not on the hosting company, as surely stated in their terms and conditions that you agree to when you sign up.
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        • Profile picture of the author Welsh Warrior
          Originally Posted by Whos That Guru View Post

          Uh.. considering I signed up for monthly service, no its not cool.
          Really? A monthly service that requires you to inform them that you are ending the rolling monthly service you mean. Rather an important difference that.

          Once the hosting is suspended, your site is no longer online.
          BUT it is on their systems, taking up their space, for those who have simply paid late or changed their mind. Since they have no word from you they are required to keep it on their systems, even if they are not keeping it online, taking space and service.

          If your site is offline for 5 months before you even think about even logging in, then when you do login, you see they charged you for those 5 months even though they didnt even give you the service.
          They didn't give the complete service because you didn't pay. But they still kept your site available on their servers to put online immediately should you decide to pay. And without word from you that you wanted to cancel they simply did what the Ts&Cs required of them (and no doubt if you missed a payment because you were on holiday, got back a month later and found out they deleted everything because you didnt pay, you would complain about that too - surely it can't swing both ways?)

          Why would you pay that???

          Obviously they were in the wrong.. They canceled those invoices and cleared the debt.
          I am guessing their Ts&Cs that you agreed to suggest they were in the right, but they have learned in such instances it is easier and financially better not to have to chase the money

          A good example is gym membership. join a gym like David Lloyd (here in the UK) and you pay a monthly membership (rather than a set time period). But you need to inform them that you are going to cancel. Simply not paying is not informing them of the cancellation so the bills continue.

          BUT they have learned in the main it is not worth chasing that money, and so if they are contacted they will usually wipe out the debt for the period the gym wasnt paid for.

          I thought that there was no need to cancel the subscription because they automatically did it when it was suspended.
          Rather obviously you thought wrong
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        • Profile picture of the author Elizabeth Fee
          Originally Posted by Whos That Guru View Post

          Obviously they were in the wrong.. They canceled those invoices and cleared the debt.
          Seems like their customer service owning up (though I have to agree with the others that this was still your responsibility to let them know that you no longer wanted their service) and clearing the invoices/debt would have proven their customer service worthy of giving them a 2nd try, no?
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          The Niche Mom - My personal blog to inspire and guide you towards earning an income online.

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  • Profile picture of the author dave147
    Originally Posted by WittyT View Post

    Hey guys,

    I just started building a couple of micro niche sites, and as one of them shows really no promise, I'd like to drop it. So I thought I just wouldn't pay for the auto bill that's created every month by Hostgator.
    They just sent me an email saying that bill was overdue... but they also stated that if I didn't pay in the next 5 days, my account would be suspended.
    Now, do they mean that they will suspend the WHOLE account with all my other sites or just that one site for which I don't intend to pay?
    I've read some horror stories about them, so I prefer asking to be sure
    I believe they are talking about the whole account and all sites in that account.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kecia
    If you have all of your sites hosted on the same account, then the bill is for all of them and not just the one site you no longer want. So yes, everything will be suspended until you get your account current billing-wise.
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  • Profile picture of the author Hamida Harland
    No horror story - if you don't pay your whole account gets suspended. If you don't want to host a site there just remove it.
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  • Profile picture of the author WittyT
    OK I guess I'll pay this month and use the "cancel link" provided by TiffLee.
    The thing is, IMHO, they shouldn't send you an invoice automatically, each and every month. They should let you decide whether you want to continue using the hosting plan or not... Isn't it a 1month hosting plan after all?

    Anyways, thanks a lot guys for your input!
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    • Profile picture of the author Kecia
      Originally Posted by WittyT View Post

      OK I guess I'll pay this month and use the "cancel link" provided by TiffLee.
      The thing is, IMHO, they shouldn't send you an invoice automatically, each and every month. They should let you decide whether you want to continue using the hosting plan or not... Isn't it a 1month hosting plan after all?

      Anyways, thanks a lot guys for your input!
      Maybe you should read the agreement before you sign up for monthly billed services. HostGator plainly states they will bill you each month for the services.

      Why would you think they'd not invoice you and just wait for you to decide if you want to keep using their services? That could lead to them never getting paid, as you may continue to use their services "while you decide".
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    • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
      Banned
      Originally Posted by WittyT View Post

      OK I guess I'll pay this month and use the "cancel link" provided by TiffLee.
      The thing is, IMHO, they shouldn't send you an invoice automatically, each and every month. They should let you decide whether you want to continue using the hosting plan or not... Isn't it a 1month hosting plan after all?

      Anyways, thanks a lot guys for your input!
      Of course they should send an invoice every month. You're using their site. You don't want to host there, cancel the hosting plan. This really isn't very hard stuff.
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel Wilson
    All the websites on that account. That is clear enough.

    Maybe you should get the lowest price package. That is like $10 a month, which is really not a lot and this is the best investment you'll make, believe me.
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  • Profile picture of the author Robert Michael
    No point in arguing over this.

    Its over.. happened a long long time ago..

    I agree, I suppose they do have to store it in case you do come back. But I honestly just forgot about it.

    AND I didn't get any emails reminding me or anything like that. Otherwise I gladly would have canceled the "right way" lol

    The only way I found out is when I went to sign up a different domain for hosting with them. But when I logged in, I saw they had still been charging me even though my site was no longer hosted with them and I had been paying someone else for the hosting for the past 5 months.

    But I do see it from their point of view as well. And yeah, their customer service did fix it.. but at the same time, it could have been avoided or fixed a lot sooner with a simple email reminder. Ya know?
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  • Profile picture of the author wordydiva
    I'm assuming you signed up planning to use Hostgator for only one month?

    I know it is annoying to receive an automated invoice or be billed for a service that you were just trying out, but imagine all the chaos that would ensue if Hostgator didn't send out reminders. Contact them to cancel your account and make sure you backup any information you want to save since once your account is terminated your websites will be gone.
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