Obligation to continue hosting client's website?

I am hoping to receive some feedback &/or advice regarding the following scenario…

Background
I am a freelance web developer who also offers (resells) web hosting.
I have a client (Client A) who owns his own business (Business A) and whose website (Website A) I developed and have been hosting and managing for around 10 years.
Recently, Client A commenced some contract work for another company (Company B).
Other than Client A’s involvement, Company A and Company B have no relation whatsoever to each other - totally different businesses in totally different industries.
Part of Client A’s role in Company B is to oversee the redevelopment of their website (Website B) - I was chosen to complete this as a result of my existing relationship with Client A and his endorsement of my previous work with him.
Client A has decided that the redevelopment of Website B is not up to standard.
For reasons I don’t know, Client A’s contract with Company B has now been terminated… Client A blames me for this (which is odd, because I have since spoken with the owner of Company B and we are progressing with the redevelopment of Website B).
The relationship between myself and Client A has now effectively ended with his last communique being (minus the expletives) “I don’t want to ever do business with you again”.
Suits me.

My Questions
I will obviously no longer be managing Website A for Cient A, but am I obligated (beyond the existing term that has already been paid for) to continue hosting Website A if I no longer wish to?

Even though Website A really had nothing to do with our falling out?

Approach
I am quite prepared and willing to provide Client A with all the files and settings (email passwords, etc.) associated with Website A so he can move to a new host (he wouldn’t know how to get them himself even though I have provided him with FTP access and sent him all the relevant details in the past).

If there is no obligation to continue hosting Website A, I am thinking of approaching it something like… “In accordance with your wishes, please find attached your website files and information regarding email settings, etc. Your existing hosting period ends on X date, at which time your hosting account will be deleted.”

Any feedback, thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I will obviously no longer be managing Website A for Cient A, but am I obligated (beyond the existing term that has already been paid for) to continue hosting Website A if I no longer wish to?

You are obligated to do what you’ve been paid for - no more. Not even morally.

If there is no obligation to continue hosting Website A, I am thinking of approaching it something like… “In accordance with your wishes, please find attached your website files and information regarding email settings, etc. Your existing hosting period ends on X date, at which time your hosting account will be deleted.”

Sounds good. To be crystal clear, might add a “…so please find a new hosting provider before that date arrives.”

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If you want to finish the relationship, that’s fine as long as you give him enough notice.

I mean, if his site hosting expires next week, charge him for another month so he has plenty of time to go.

I wouldn’t put any energy in a customer like this but, on the other hand, if he wants to keep the hosting and it doesn’t bother you, I would let him (as long as he pays the bills, of course). It is always a bit of cash that you get in your pocket.

What I mean is that your customer may be completely upset with your desing and development skills but maybe not with the hosting part. And if he’s upset for no reason, that’s his problem. The real reason to terminate this relationship for good is that you’re upset too.

I had the same situation once. We had a huuuuuuge argument and my client hired someone else to do the website but I still host the site. We’ve been like this 5 years now and our relationship is great. With time, they didn’t give me work but they did recommend me for hosting and we get along just fine. But, indirectly, by hosting those other sites, I got more development work

Business is business.

But, don’t sweat it. Life is too short to worry about these small things. So do what you want. As long as it doesn’t matter to you and you don’t take a rush decision… or take it when you’re mad or upset. Business decisions need to be taken with your head, not only with your heart.

1 Like

It sounds like you showed up Client A and made his skills look bad to Company B and its owner.

I can see why he is angry - not that you did anything wrong.

Kind of funny, though, to hire you and then be mad because you out-performed him! :slight_smile:

You definitely do not have any obligation to go beyond what you have stated (provided there is no contract that states additional obligations), however, I’d encourage you to take the higher road here and show just how much of a better person you are. Tell your client to find a new host and once they do that you’ll gladly move their site to the new setup.

Yes, you are losing their business, but in this way, the client has no complaint to make about you and the way things ended. They can’t bad mouth you by stating you left them high and dry and sent them a zip file with no explanation on how to get it up and running again.

Just my 2 cents, it sucks, I’ve been there. I’ve transferred those clients to a new host to ensure they still had a working site when our business relationship ended. Many of said clients eventually returned after they realized exactly how well they had it previously. Be the bigger person here and make sure you end on a good note.

@cpradio,

You are a web host on the side?

Was. I got out of that business a while ago for many reasons. I do however, manage several clients on a web host on their behalf still. Push updates, add emails, add parked domains, etc.

What a stud! (I never doubted it.) :wink:

Thanks for the informative replies, folks. :thumbsup:
Much appreicated.

Have had subsequent communications from Client A (as a result of him “patching things up” with Company B) and we have negotiated a mutual “parting of the ways” - I will continue to work directly with the owner of Company B (who, by the way, is “delighted” with the work I have done on Website B so far!!!) and Client A will also be moving the hosting of Website A (his consulting business website) somewhere else as well… with my assistance if he requests it.
All very amicable… so far.

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