Understanding Domain and Hosting Auto-Renewal After Expiry

Overview

When a domain has auto-renewal enabled, our system will automatically attempt to renew the domain on your behalf – even if the domain has expired or entered a grace period. This article explains what happens during automatic renewal and your options if you didn’t want your domain or hosting to renew.

How Auto-Renewal Works

During the Renewal Period

If auto-renewal is enabled on your domain, our system will automatically attempt to renew it before or shortly after the expiration date
This includes domains that may enter a grace period (expired status)
The system processes the renewal payment using your stored payment method
Once renewed, we immediately incur non-refundable registry fees with our upstream providers

Grace / Expired Period Renewals

Even if your domain has technically expired and entered a grace period, our system will still attempt renewal if auto-renewal remains enabled. This is designed to prevent accidental loss of your domain name.

What If I Didn’t Want to Renew?

Important: Our system only renews domains that have auto-renewal enabled. If you no longer require a domain, you need to disable auto-renewal before the renewal/expiry date to prevent automatic renewal. For hosting plans, you just need to submit a ticket asking for the services to be cancelled at least two working days before the next renewal date.

Check Your Invoice Status First

The options available to you depend on whether the renewal invoice has been paid:

If Your Invoice Shows as Unpaid

You still have options to prevent the renewal:

Disable auto-renewal on the domain immediately
Contact our support team to request hosting plan cancellation
- Important: As the service has passed its expiry date and the invoice is pending, we may not be able to cancel the hosting renewal in time. Please contact us at least 7 days before the renewal date to ensure we can action your request.

If Your Invoice Shows as Paid

Unfortunately, the domain or hosting plan has already been renewed:

Renewal fees are non-refundable – we have already paid non-refundable fees to our upstream providers (domain registries, etc.)
The service is now registered/active for another term in your name
We cannot reverse the transaction

However, you still have options to make use of the renewed service:

For Domains:
– Keep the domain for future use
– Use it for a new project or website
– Redirect it to another website you own
– Use it for professional email addresses
– Hold it as an investment or to protect your brand

For Hosting Plans:
– Change the primary domain associated with your hosting plan
– Repurpose the hosting for a new website or project
– Use it for testing and development
– Migrate a different website to the hosting plan

If you’d like assistance with any of these options, please contact our support team.

Timing Is Critical for Future Renewals

To avoid unwanted renewals in the future, you must take action before the renewal date:

For domains: Disable auto-renewal at least 7 days before the expiry/renewal date (How do I cancel domain renewal?)
For hosting: Disable auto-renewal AND submit a cancellation request through your account portal (How do I cancel my hosting account?)

Learn more: Renewing products and services

How to Prevent Unwanted Renewals

Check Your Auto-Renewal Settings

Log in to your Ecenica account
Navigate to your domain management section
Review which domains have auto-renewal enabled
Disable auto-renewal for any domains you don’t wish to keep

Guides:
– How do I cancel domain renewal?
– How do I cancel my hosting account?

Set Calendar Reminders

Note your domain expiry dates
Set reminders 2-3 weeks before renewal
This gives you time to disable auto-renewal if needed

Review Renewal Notifications

We send renewal notices before your services are due to expire. Please ensure:

Your email address is up to date in your account
You check emails from Ecenica regularly
You whitelist our domain to prevent emails going to spam

Difference Between Domains and Hosting

Domain Renewals

To cancel: Simply disable auto-renewal before the expiry date
Automatically processed if auto-renewal is enabled
Includes grace period renewals
Registry fees are non-refundable

Hosting Renewals

To cancel: Disable auto-renewal AND submit a cancellation request
Also automatically processed if auto-renewal is enabled
Requires cancellation notice before renewal date
Fees are non-refundable once renewed

Guide: Renewing products and services

If Your Email Isn’t Linked to Your Account

If you contact us from an email address that isn’t registered to your Ecenica account, we cannot access your account details for security reasons.

To verify your identity, you can either:

Log in to your Ecenica account before contacting us
Provide the first line and postcode of your billing address

This helps us reconnect you with the correct account securely.

Important Reminders

7-day notice required: Take action at least seven days before renewal dates
Domains: Disabling auto-renewal is sufficient
Hosting: You must both disable auto-renewal AND submit a cancellation request
Auto-renewal applies to expired domains: The system will attempt to renew domains in grace periods
No refunds after renewal: Once services are renewed, fees cannot be refunded due to upstream costs
Keep your payment methods current: Failed payment attempts may still prevent renewal, but billing errors should be resolved promptly

Need Further Assistance?

If you have questions about:

Your specific renewal dates
Disabling auto-renewal
Account access issues

Please contact our support team with your account details, and we’ll be happy to help.