In what has to be the oddest domain situation I’ve read about in a long time, it seems like someone formed 9 companies, named “1 Limited”, “2 Limited”, through to “9 Limited”, started using the .ltd.uk domain for each one, then applied for a trademark for each company name, all to get the domain names 1.co.uk through to 9.co.uk.

The domain names themselves were auctioned last year by Nominet, the UK domain name managers, and the extraordinary steps take to acquire the domain names have come to light in a Nominet DRS appeal for the 9.co.uk domain.

In the appeal, handled by an independant solicitor for Nominet, the full details of the process are laid out, and in it the complainant says that the company “9 Limited” will be shut down if the domain is not handed over. The complainant did attempt to buy the domains at auction, but was outbid for 9.co.uk (and others) by the eventual owner.

Fortunately, it seems a sensible decision was taken by the Nominet Expert:

7. Decision
In light of the foregoing findings, namely that the Complainant has Rights in a name which is identical to the Domain Name, but has failed to show that the Domain Names, in the hands of the Respondent, is an Abusive Registration, I direct that no action is taken in relation to the Domain Name.