My website designer has deleted my e-mails without my permission!!

[Spencer1986]

Hi all,

I just wanted to know what your thoughts are on this.

I received an email a couple of days ago from the guys who who developed my website and manage it. They basically said that they have deleted any emails older than 30 days as my inbox was nearly full and would be blocked. I am grateful that they were obviously trying to be helpful but firstly I wasn't even aware that they had access to my emails but more importantly they have deleted important emails that I needed as a reference for a large overdue payment that I have been fighting to get for a while now and would have needed the emails as a source of evidence as it basically highlights all the conversations about the transaction both before, during and after.

I understand that I should download any important emails (so he has told me) but i still feel as if it is my responsibility and not theirs to delete emails.

During this email he has rang me apologising like crazy but there is the potential for this to cost me a lot of money if the company who owe me don't pay (3 month overdue already).

Any thoughts welcome.

 

[Faevilangel]

In an ideal world, they should have given you warning of x days to backup emails before they delete them.

Are you running on Imap or pop3, as pop3 will download the emails to your client (outlook etc) but not delete off the server (so you should have a copy in your email client)

 

[FIZIX Agency]

Firstly, you shouldn't keep important emails on the server. Aside from over zealous devs, what if the account got hacked or HW failure took your servers HD out?

Also, really important stuff should be printed.


Anyway, its entirely the devs responsibility. If anything they should notify and advise you, not commit acts of data destruction. You are right to be miffed, its entirely their fault.

Also, if you/they aren't getting near quota warning or the host isn't flexible to sort stuff out if you to over quota, then find another host.

 

[Spencer1986]

Hi,

No it's a basic webmail account that I log in to from my PC that I'm running windows 7 on. I'm not the best on computers so it hadn't even crossed my mind to be honest.

thanks!

 

[Faevilangel]

Look into an email client which works on your pc (so no logging into website) such as thunderbird which will save a copy of all emails on your pc

 

[FIZIX Agency]

Does the server not have backups that can be used to restore your mail?

 

[JonathanSEO]

Hi,

No it's a basic webmail account that I log in to from my PC that I'm running windows 7 on. I'm not the best on computers so it hadn't even crossed my mind to be honest.

thanks!

I'd switch to something like Google Apps or Microsoft Office.

Either that or use an email client that downloads the emails to your computer.

 

[Moneyman]

Wow that was dumb of him. and not too bright to have online only emails.

 

[Spencer1986]

Thanks for all your responses.

Pretty much what I had figured... silly of me not to have a back up in place but also silly of the developers to delete all of this without my permission or knowledge.

Cheers!

 

[Karimbo]

I would call the web host and ask them for help. They normally keep backups, although understandably they don't guarantee that sort of things.

I let a dev onto my site once and created a ftp account for him. After completion of job I deleted the ftp account - unfortunately it pulls up a command prompt asking "do you also want to delete folders for this ftp account". I clicked yes and it deleted all the website files.

The web host had backups and restored the website - saved me skin.

 

[DesignerNick]

Downloading emails to a computer is a pain nowadays when it comes to using your email on different computers, tablets and phones. As said it might be worth looking into another email provider or going through and deleting any junk you don't need.

Can they not upgrade your mailbox size? They should be able to restore a backup if they have anything about them.

If not, move your site!

 

[Karimbo]

Downloading emails to a computer is a pain nowadays when it comes to using your email on different computers, tablets and phones. As said it might be worth looking into another email provider or going through and deleting any junk you don't need.

Can they not upgrade your mailbox size? They should be able to restore a backup if they have anything about them.

If not, move your site!

As long as the email is configured using IMAP it's not an issue. POP email is a pain because it doesn't sync but IMAP does.

When using software like OUTLOOK there are all sorts of features and benefits that you won't get using web mail so I recommend using an email client.

 

[FIZIX Agency]

I would call the web host and ask them for help. They normally keep backups, although understandably they don't guarantee that sort of things.

I let a dev onto my site once and created a ftp account for him. After completion of job I deleted the ftp account - unfortunately it pulls up a command prompt asking "do you also want to delete folders for this ftp account". I clicked yes and it deleted all the website files.

The web host had backups and restored the website - saved me skin.

LMAO, seriously???

Why on earth did they do that?

 

[Karimbo]

LMAO, seriously???

Why on earth did they do that?

standard feature in cpanel

 

[Leo-InstallingIT]

If you (or they) contact the company that actually hosts the emails they may have a backup which they can get the emails from.

I'd be quick about it though as depending on the companies rotation policy you don't want the backup to be gone.

 

[FIZIX Agency]

standard feature in cpanel

I have never encountered this in cpanel. Then again I let me admin deal with the server so maybe that's why.

Rephrase though, why leave you open to that? You wouldn't leave a client open to that.

 

[Karimbo]

I have never encountered this in cpanel. Then again I let me admin deal with the server so maybe that's why.

Rephrase though, why leave you open to that? You wouldn't leave a client open to that.

This happed about 2-3 years ago, it's probably still there,. create an ftp account and delete it and see what pops up. I agree it's a stupid "feature" if you want to call it that. I think it prsumes that each ftp account is for a different user - possibly hosting a website in their own subfolder. But on a shared hosting this would not be standard practice at all - far from it.

 

[Christine Hough]

I have set my emails to always send a copy of incoming and outgoing to my gmail account. It is limitless and serves as a backup. I dont write from it but use it to keep emails safe.