EMNET Ceases Trading: Update
Update: I am happy to publish the following correction regarding the position of EMNET, as supplied by Tim Miller.
East Midlands Network Ltd has ceased trading. This is the company that was involved with the development and delivery of projects not the company that offers clients ISP services so the item on your web site is not quite accurate. Emnet Solutions Ltd is very much active and providing ISP services with the support of an international group.
What would happen if your web designer/developer went bust?
Nottingham based web company EMNET Network Solutions is no longer trading. Initially the website said “Following a number of difficulties EMNET has ceased trading,” whereas the website now describes their status as “restructuring.”
EMNET’s difficulties serves as a timely reminder to consider what arrangements you have in place with your web developer.
Communication at stressful times like this can be difficult; phones are unlikely to be answered, and information may be restricted to email.
In an ideal world there will be an orderly shut down of the business, with the hosting of your website continuing until you can make alternative arrangements.
In addition to web design, hosting and Internet connectivity, EMNET managed initiatives like the Anubis project which has very recently awarded £10,000 to each of 10 small businesses in the East Midlands, including GreenEnergy360. The Anubis project was funded by EMDA and the European Regional Development Fund.
What are the main issues do you need to consider in the event your web designer ceases trading?
1. Who owns your domain name registration?
Was your web designer helpful, and registered your domain name for you? If so, the ownership and contact details may be in the designer’s name, including logon access and renewal reminders. It can be very difficult to get your name transferred at stressful times, so get the details sorted now. And if you forget to pay your domain name renewal then you risk losing your domain name.
2. Do you have a backup of your website?
Your web designer’s decision to shut up shop may come quickly, so do you have a secure backup of your web pages that you can get access to if necessary?
3. Who owns the intellectual property of your website?
The intellectual property of your website should be yours, but that probably excludes any applications such as shopping cart software or other applications. If you are running web applications such as e-commerce shopping carts, content management systems, or forums then establishing ownership might be problematic. If you are using open source software, or industry standard packages then you might be able to move your applications to a new company.
If it is a bespoke solution, then the intellectual property might belong to the web developer and you should have a legal agreement in place stipulating what happens if the developer ceases trading. And at the very least, you need to have a utility to extract your data for the worst case scenario of having to create a new website.
4. What are your hosting arrangements?
Your web designer may have their own web servers, or may be renting space on your behalf on a shared hosting service. Do you have passwords, copies of invoices and other information that might help with the continuation of your services.
April 9th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Does anyone have any up-to-date information about what is happening to Emnet Solutions Ltd? They are our ISP but are proving very difficult to contact. Our website is still working fine, but emails go unanswered, requests for someone to telephone us are ignored, and cheques sent in payment for invoices are returned with the envelope marked ‘addressee has gone away’, although I have been told, in one of the few emails I have received from Emnet, that this was the fault of a disaffected postal employee. I have even written to the company secretary at the registered office asking for someone to contact me, with no luck. Their postal address is a PO Box number, so I’m not sure where they are anymore.
August 5th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Always credit check and see where their main business comes from. In this case it was publicly funded and they couldn’t stand on their own two feet. PO Box mean they don’t really exist in my book. Move away…it’s called running a business on our money.