Map Check

A worked example, then your own

List each account your website depends on and answer a few questions about it. Nothing is stored unless you press Save to Keyring. Never type passwords or addresses: the form only asks which kind of address.

Below is the example of Harbor Street Bakery (example). Change any row and run the check again, or start blank.

Map Check · Harbor Street Bakery (example)

4 of 7 pieces are held by the business

4 fix first
8 fix soon
0 worth a look
3 to find out

The map

The business (owner) 

        Web hosting
                Fix soon      

        Email
                Fix soon      

        Backups
        Host's nightly copies        Fix soon      

        Payments or online shop
                      
A former staff member or volunteer 

        Website admin login
        Site builder        Fix first      
Our web designer or agency 

        Domain registration
                Fix first      

        DNS
        Same as the registrar        Fix first

Findings

Fix first R1

Domain registration is in your designer's or agency's account

The domain and its DNS are the two pieces everything else hangs from: whoever holds them decides where your website and email point.

What to do Ask for it to be moved into an account in the business's name, or for the business to be added as owner. Keep the designer as a helper, not the owner.
Fix first R7

Domain registration renews in 24 days and auto-renew is off

Nothing will renew it unless somebody does it by hand in time.

What to do Renew it now, or turn on auto-renew with a business card.
Fix first R1

DNS (Same as the registrar) is in your designer's or agency's account

The domain and its DNS are the two pieces everything else hangs from: whoever holds them decides where your website and email point.

What to do Ask for it to be moved into an account in the business's name, or for the business to be added as owner. Keep the designer as a helper, not the owner.
Fix first R2

Website admin login (Site builder) is in a former staff member's or volunteer's account

Someone who has left can renew, change or lose it, and nobody else can step in when it breaks or lapses.

What to do Ask them now, while they are easy to reach, to move it into an account in the business's name (the hand-back request on the map page has the wording).
Fix soon R6

Only one person can get into Domain registration

Holidays, illness or a falling-out leave the business locked out until that person is back.

What to do Add a second person as an admin or owner (most providers allow several users), each with their own login.
Fix soon R6

Only one person can get into DNS (Same as the registrar)

Holidays, illness or a falling-out leave the business locked out until that person is back.

What to do Add a second person as an admin or owner (most providers allow several users), each with their own login.
Fix soon R6

Only one person can get into Web hosting

Holidays, illness or a falling-out leave the business locked out until that person is back.

What to do Add a second person as an admin or owner (most providers allow several users), each with their own login.
Fix soon R3

Email logs in with an address inside that same email service

If the mailbox is locked or the service is down, the reset mail goes to the mailbox you cannot open.

What to do Give the admin account a recovery address and phone outside this email service.
Fix soon R5

Email has 2-step sign-in turned off

A reused or leaked password is then all it takes to take the account over.

What to do Turn on 2-step sign-in with an authenticator app, and store its backup codes where a second person can find them.
Fix soon R4

Website admin login (Site builder) logs in with a personal address

A personal address leaves with the person, and the account's notices go to their inbox, not the business's.

What to do Switch the login to a business address (a shared one such as office@ works well), and keep the person as a second user if they still need it.
Fix soon R6

Only one person can get into Website admin login (Site builder)

Holidays, illness or a falling-out leave the business locked out until that person is back.

What to do Add a second person as an admin or owner (most providers allow several users), each with their own login.
Fix soon R10

Backups are kept only at the web host

If the hosting account is closed, suspended or lost, the backups go with it.

What to do Keep a regular copy somewhere the business controls that is not the web host.

Find out

Is 2-step sign-in on for Domain registration?
Is 2-step sign-in on for DNS (Same as the registrar)?
Is 2-step sign-in on for Website admin login (Site builder)?

Renewals in the next 12 months

Nov 24, 2026 Domain registration in 24 days · Auto-renew off
Feb 3, 2027 Email in 95 days · Auto-renew on
May 19, 2027 Web hosting in 200 days · Auto-renew on

Hand-back requests

Ready-to-copy wording for each piece held outside the business. TotalHostNow sends nothing: copy it into your own email or letter.

Domain registration Our web designer or agency

Subject: Moving the domain registration for Harbor Street Bakery (example) into the business's own account

Hello,

Thank you for looking after the domain registration. We are bringing every part of Harbor Street Bakery (example) under accounts held in the business's own name, so it can keep running whoever helps us in future.

Could you please:
1. Move the domain into an account in the business's name (at the same registrar, or by a transfer to our own registrar account: we will tell you which).
2. Make sure the registrant (owner) contact is the business, not a person.
3. Leave auto-renew on with our card once it is in our account.

Nothing needs to stop working while this happens. If any step is not possible, let us know what is needed and we will sort it out with you.

Thank you,
[your name]

DNS (Same as the registrar) Our web designer or agency

Subject: Moving the DNS for Harbor Street Bakery (example) into the business's own account

Hello,

Thank you for looking after the DNS. We are bringing every part of Harbor Street Bakery (example) under accounts held in the business's own name, so it can keep running whoever helps us in future.

Could you please:
1. Send us a full export of the current DNS records first.
2. Then add the business as owner of the DNS account, or move the zone into an account in the business's name.

Nothing needs to stop working while this happens. If any step is not possible, let us know what is needed and we will sort it out with you.

Thank you,
[your name]

Website admin login (Site builder) A former staff member or volunteer

Subject: Moving the website admin login for Harbor Street Bakery (example) into the business's own account

Hello,

Thank you for looking after the website admin login at Site builder. We are bringing every part of Harbor Street Bakery (example) under accounts held in the business's own name, so it can keep running whoever helps us in future.

Could you please:
1. Create an administrator login for us with our own address.
2. You are welcome to keep a login of your own while you still help us.

Nothing needs to stop working while this happens. If any step is not possible, let us know what is needed and we will sort it out with you.

Thank you,
[your name]

Your pieces

Website or business name (optional)

01 Piece
What it is Provider (name only) Whose account is it in? It logs in with 2-step sign-in Who can get in Renews on (if it renews) Auto-renew Paid by Copies away from the host? (backups only) Note (no passwords, no addresses)
02 Piece
What it is Provider (name only) Whose account is it in? It logs in with 2-step sign-in Who can get in Renews on (if it renews) Auto-renew Paid by Copies away from the host? (backups only) Note (no passwords, no addresses)
03 Piece
What it is Provider (name only) Whose account is it in? It logs in with 2-step sign-in Who can get in Renews on (if it renews) Auto-renew Paid by Copies away from the host? (backups only) Note (no passwords, no addresses)
04 Piece
What it is Provider (name only) Whose account is it in? It logs in with 2-step sign-in Who can get in Renews on (if it renews) Auto-renew Paid by Copies away from the host? (backups only) Note (no passwords, no addresses)
05 Piece
What it is Provider (name only) Whose account is it in? It logs in with 2-step sign-in Who can get in Renews on (if it renews) Auto-renew Paid by Copies away from the host? (backups only) Note (no passwords, no addresses)
06 Piece
What it is Provider (name only) Whose account is it in? It logs in with 2-step sign-in Who can get in Renews on (if it renews) Auto-renew Paid by Copies away from the host? (backups only) Note (no passwords, no addresses)
07 Piece
What it is Provider (name only) Whose account is it in? It logs in with 2-step sign-in Who can get in Renews on (if it renews) Auto-renew Paid by Copies away from the host? (backups only) Note (no passwords, no addresses)
08 Piece
What it is Provider (name only) Whose account is it in? It logs in with 2-step sign-in Who can get in Renews on (if it renews) Auto-renew Paid by Copies away from the host? (backups only) Note (no passwords, no addresses)
09 Piece
What it is Provider (name only) Whose account is it in? It logs in with 2-step sign-in Who can get in Renews on (if it renews) Auto-renew Paid by Copies away from the host? (backups only) Note (no passwords, no addresses)

9 of 30 rows shown.

4 of 7 pieces are held by the business

The map

Findings

Domain registration is in your designer's or agency's account

Domain registration renews in 24 days and auto-renew is off

DNS (Same as the registrar) is in your designer's or agency's account

Website admin login (Site builder) is in a former staff member's or volunteer's account

Only one person can get into Domain registration

Only one person can get into DNS (Same as the registrar)

Only one person can get into Web hosting

Email logs in with an address inside that same email service

Email has 2-step sign-in turned off

Website admin login (Site builder) logs in with a personal address

Only one person can get into Website admin login (Site builder)

Backups are kept only at the web host

Find out

Renewals in the next 12 months

Hand-back requests

Your pieces