Before you cancel

Consider alternatives to cancellation:

  • Downgrade instead: Reduce costs by moving to a smaller hosting plan (see Upgrade/Downgrade Guide)
  • Suspend temporarily: Put service on hold instead of cancelling permanently
  • Contact support: Discuss issues — we may be able to help resolve problems
  • Transfer to another account: If changing ownership, transfer instead of cancel and re-register

Backup your data first:

CRITICAL: Before cancelling, back up all your data. After cancellation, data is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

What to backup:

  • Website files: Download via DirectAdmin File Manager or FTP
  • Databases: Export databases via phpMyAdmin
  • Email: Download emails via IMAP or webmail
  • DNS records: Document all DNS settings if transferring to another host
  • Configuration: Note custom settings (PHP version, cron jobs, etc.)

Using JetBackup:

  1. Log in to DirectAdmin
  2. Go to JetBackup
  3. Create a full backup
  4. Download the backup file to your local computer

Check for active domains:

  • Domains registered through the service continue to exist after hosting cancellation
  • Update nameservers if moving hosting elsewhere
  • Domains renew independently unless auto-renewal is disabled

Types of cancellation

1. End of billing period (recommended)

  • When it happens: Service cancels on your next renewal date
  • Service remains active: Continue using service until end of current billing period
  • No refund: No refund for current billing period (you already paid for it)
  • No renewal charge: Service will not renew; no invoice generated
  • Best for: Most cancellations — get full value from current billing period

2. Immediate cancellation

  • When it happens: Service terminates immediately (usually within 24 hours)
  • Service disabled: Website, email, and all services stop working immediately
  • No refund: No refund for unused time in current billing period
  • Data deletion: Account and data deleted quickly
  • Best for: Urgent cancellations, compromised accounts, or when service is no longer needed

How to cancel a service

Step 1: Log in to the client area

  1. Navigate to https://ca.0724.co.za
  2. Click Login
  3. Enter your email address and password
  4. Click Login

Step 2: Access your services

  1. Click Services in the top navigation menu
  2. Select My Services from the dropdown
  3. You will see a list of all your hosting and domain services

Step 3: Select the service to cancel

  1. Find the service you want to cancel
  2. Click on the service name or click Manage
  3. You will be taken to the Service Details page

Step 4: Request cancellation

  1. Look for Actions or Quick Shortcuts section on the service details page
  2. Click Request Cancellation or Cancel Service
  3. You will be taken to the cancellation request form

Step 5: Choose cancellation type

Select when you want the cancellation to take effect:

Option 1: End of billing period

  • Service remains active until your next renewal date
  • Get full value from current billing period
  • Standard option for most cancellations

Option 2: Immediate

  • Service terminates immediately (within 24 hours)
  • Website and email stop working right away
  • Choose only if you need urgent termination

Step 6: Provide cancellation reason

Select a reason from the dropdown menu or provide custom reason:

  • No longer need the service
  • Moving to another provider
  • Costs too high
  • Dissatisfied with service
  • Technical issues
  • Other (custom reason)

Optional: Provide additional comments or feedback. This helps us improve our services.

Step 7: Submit cancellation request

  1. Review your cancellation request details
  2. Confirm cancellation type and effective date
  3. Click Submit Cancellation Request or Request Cancellation

Step 8: Confirmation

  • You receive a cancellation request confirmation email
  • Service details page shows "Cancellation Requested"
  • For end of billing period: Service remains active until renewal date
  • For immediate: Service terminates within 24 hours

What happens after cancellation request

For "End of Billing Period" cancellations:

  1. Service continues: Service remains fully active until renewal date
  2. No new invoices: Renewal invoice will not be generated
  3. Reminder before termination: You may receive reminder email before service ends
  4. On renewal date: Service is automatically terminated
  5. Grace period: Short grace period (usually 7 days) before data deletion
  6. Data deletion: After grace period, all data is permanently deleted

For "Immediate" cancellations:

  1. Processing: Cancellation processed within 24 hours
  2. Service disabled: Website, email, and DirectAdmin access disabled
  3. Data retention: Data retained for 7 days (recovery possible if you change your mind)
  4. Permanent deletion: After 7 days, all data permanently deleted

Cancelling different service types

Hosting services (web hosting, mail hosting, reseller):

  • Website offline: Website becomes inaccessible after termination
  • Email stops: All email accounts stop working
  • Data deleted: All files, databases, and emails permanently deleted
  • DirectAdmin access removed: Cannot log in to control panel
  • Domains unaffected: If you have domains registered separately, they remain active

Domain registrations:

  • Cannot cancel mid-term: Domain registrations cannot be cancelled before expiry (no refunds)
  • Disable auto-renewal instead: Prevent future renewals by disabling auto-renewal (see Auto-Renewal Guide)
  • Let expire: Domain will expire at end of registration period
  • Grace period: 30-day grace period after expiry for standard renewal
  • Redemption: 30-day redemption after grace (expensive recovery fee)
  • Deletion: After redemption, domain is permanently deleted and becomes available to public

Addons and extras:

  • Addon services: Cancel separately if desired (SSL certificates, backups, etc.)
  • WHOIS privacy: Disabled upon cancellation
  • Cancelling hosting: Does not automatically cancel addon services

Refund policy

Standard cancellation (no refunds):

  • No mid-term refunds: No refunds for services cancelled before end of billing period
  • Best practice: Cancel at end of billing period to maximize value
  • Already paid period: You already paid for the current billing period — might as well use it

Money-back guarantee (if applicable):

  • Some hosting plans offer a 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Refund available only within first 30 days of initial purchase
  • Does not apply to renewals, domain registrations, or addon services
  • Contact support within 30 days to request refund

Domain refunds:

  • No refunds: Domain registrations are non-refundable
  • ICANN policy: Registry fees are non-refundable
  • Even if unused: No refund even if domain was never used

Reactivating a cancelled service

Before termination date:

If you change your mind before service terminates:

  1. Log in to the client area
  2. Go to Services → My Services
  3. Click the service with pending cancellation
  4. Look for Cancel Cancellation Request or Reactivate
  5. Click to cancel the cancellation
  6. Service will remain active and continue renewing

After termination (within grace period):

  • Grace period: Usually 7 days after termination
  • Contact support: Contact support to request reactivation
  • Reactivation fee: May require payment of renewal invoice
  • Data restoration: Data can be restored if within grace period

After grace period:

  • Data deleted: All data permanently deleted after grace period
  • Cannot recover: Reactivation not possible
  • New order required: Must sign up for a new service
  • Data restoration: Restore from your own backups

Migrating to another host before cancellation

Recommended migration process:

  1. Set up new hosting: Purchase hosting at new provider
  2. Backup current site: Download all files, databases, and emails
  3. Upload to new host: Transfer website to new hosting
  4. Test on new host: Verify everything works (use temporary URL or hosts file)
  5. Update nameservers: Point domain to new hosting nameservers
  6. Wait for DNS propagation: 24-48 hours for full propagation
  7. Verify site on new host: Ensure website and email work on new hosting
  8. Then cancel old hosting: Request cancellation at end of billing period

Important migration tips:

  • Overlap hosting: Keep both hosting accounts active during migration
  • Test before switching DNS: Ensure site works on new host before changing nameservers
  • Migrate email carefully: Set up email accounts on new host before switching DNS
  • Update email clients: Update mail server settings in Outlook/Thunderbird/etc after migration
  • Keep old hosting active: Cancel at end of billing period, not immediately

Cancelling vs letting expire

Actively requesting cancellation:

  • Clear intent: Explicitly indicates you don't want renewal
  • No invoices generated: Prevents surprise renewal invoices
  • Planned termination: Know exactly when service ends
  • Best practice: Always request cancellation rather than letting expire

Letting service expire without cancellation:

  • Not recommended: Can lead to confusion and unexpected charges
  • Auto-renewal risk: If auto-renewal is enabled, service renews automatically
  • Unpaid invoices: Renewal invoice generated even if you don't intend to renew
  • Account collections: Unpaid invoices may lead to account suspension or collections

Impact on other services

Hosting cancellation impact:

  • Domains continue: Domain registrations are separate services and continue independently
  • DNS changes needed: Update nameservers if moving hosting elsewhere
  • Email forwarding: Set up email forwarding or transition to new mail host
  • Addon services: SSL certificates, backups, etc. may need separate cancellation

Domain cancellation (auto-renewal disable) impact:

  • Hosting unaffected: Hosting continues working
  • Website online: Website remains online if hosted elsewhere or via IP
  • Domain will expire: Domain stops resolving after expiry + grace + redemption

Common cancellation questions

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes, you can request cancellation at any time. However, no refunds are provided for the current billing period, so it's best to cancel at end of billing period.

How long does cancellation take to process?

  • End of billing period: Processed on your renewal date (no action required)
  • Immediate: Processed within 24 hours

Can I get a refund?

  • Standard cancellations: No refunds for services already paid
  • Money-back guarantee: Refund available within first 30 days of initial purchase (hosting only, not domains)
  • Domain registrations: Non-refundable

What happens to my data?

  • During cancellation: Data remains accessible until termination date
  • After termination: Data retained for 7-day grace period
  • After grace period: Data permanently deleted and cannot be recovered
  • Always backup: Download backups before cancellation

Can I cancel and reactivate?

  • Before termination: Yes, cancel the cancellation request anytime before termination date
  • During grace period: Contact support to reactivate
  • After deletion: Cannot reactivate; must create new service

Will I receive confirmation?

Yes, you receive email confirmation when:

  • Cancellation request is submitted
  • Service is terminated
  • Data is scheduled for deletion

Cancellation best practices

  • Backup everything first: Critical step before any cancellation
  • Cancel at end of billing: Maximize value from current paid period
  • Update DNS before cancellation: If migrating, switch DNS first
  • Test new hosting: Ensure new host works before cancelling old hosting
  • Document settings: Note custom configurations before cancelling
  • Disable auto-renewal for domains: If not using hosting anymore
  • Download emails: Export emails before cancellation
  • Provide feedback: Help us improve by explaining your reason for cancelling

Alternatives if you're unhappy

Before cancelling due to dissatisfaction, consider:

  • Contact support: Many issues can be resolved
  • Request downgrade: Reduce costs instead of cancelling
  • Performance optimisation: We can help optimise your site
  • Billing arrangements: Discuss payment plans if cost is the issue
  • Account review: We can review your account and recommend solutions

Contact 0724 Hosting support before cancelling — we'd love to help resolve any issues.

Getting help with cancellations

If you need assistance with cancellations, have questions about the process, or want to discuss alternatives, contact 0724 Hosting support. We can help with:

  • Processing cancellation requests
  • Reactivating cancelled services within grace period
  • Providing backups before cancellation
  • Migrating to new hosting
  • Explaining refund eligibility
  • Discussing alternatives to cancellation