Web company wants to move registrar for new site

[Brother D]

So I own a domain, and we're not happy with the existing website provider, and we've found a new one who seem to have good ideas.
However they want us to transfer the registrar aspect over to them, and seem quite insistant. I've always handled the forward and records myself, but I'm a bit hazy on what would happen if we move registrar further down the line and want to move the domain elsewhere...

As I am listed as the registrant, I assume I can recover the domain at a later date if need be? Or would you advise to leave the domain with the existing registrar and update the records there?

Thanks in advance.

[andy-xr]

I've always moved registrars to the hosts, but kept title, if you will. So the admin contact will still be me, but it's hosted now at Vidahost instead of 1and1. Check what they're actually asking for to be sure, it'd seem odd for them to want to claim title of the domain

[Brother D]

So this is where it's a bit hazy with seeemingly people using registrar and registrant inter-changably. So basically you keep the domain registered say at Register1, but migrate to the new registrar such as go daddy?

I'm just looking to avoid them sitting on a domain if we want to move and holding us to ransom.

[bitchstewie]

It makes no difference who the registrar is in terms of them providing hosting so my question to them would be why would they care?

[mattley]

bhstewie said:

It makes no difference who the registrar is in terms of them providing hosting so my question to them would be why would they care?

It doesn't make no difference at all, it depends on what they're hosting and what control they feel they need.

Some registrars have really crap control panels which don't support some of the finer points of DNS. Some control panels won't allow alteration of TTL and still can't handle SPF properly. Some require off panel settings to be changed via support ticket.

Also even if the current registrar is good having to get changes made by a client of unknown ability is horrible for them.

[bitchstewie]

mattley said:

It doesn't make no difference at all, it depends on what they're hosting and what control they feel they need.

Some registrars have really crap control panels which don't support some of the finer points of DNS. Some control panels won't allow alteration of TTL and still can't handle SPF properly. Some require off panel settings to be changed via support ticket.

Also even if the current registrar is good having to get changes made by a client of unknown ability is horrible for them.

Your registrar doesn't have to be your DNS provider.

Granted it probably makes life simpler for the web host but it sounds like convenience vs. any technical reason.