Who owns the Recognised Trademark “Electricians Forums” (or anything close i.e. Electrician Forum .co.uk) in the UK?

[Lou]

There appears to be some confusion over the domain name electricansforums.co.uk, and the domain name

electrician forum .co.uk (with no S's in the domain)

We have been asked a few times by potential buyers of the company what is going on with this domain that’s similar to ours. So I wanted to clear up something so it’s easy to understand to those with similar domain names, like Electrician Forum .co.uk who’s clearly trading on our mark.

But the short answer is Dan Freakley. He owns Electricians Forums, Tilers Forums and UK Plumbers Forums, and UK Tiling Forum. All has done since 2006. Those very specific similar names are the intellectual property of Dan Freakley. The guy owns them all. And nobody should be trading with a name similar, or a domain name similar, to any of these websites or they’re liable to be closed down using the Digital Millenium Copyright Act at least, if not a full law suit for loss of licence fee’s. And loss of earnings due to fallen through sales due to this very issue.



So let’s explain a bit first about how Dan came up with the names, business models, domain names, and cycle of similar names being the trend, and became his intellectual property and it’s proven using many many ways that are more technical than this mere blog posts is intended for.

Dan Freakley used to be a wall and floor tiler. Eventually came to run a tiling training course company based in Staffordshire. Then went onto create Tilers Forums (the first forum out of the similarly branded websites) on 1st April 2006.

Then 21st May 2006 he created Plumbers Forums and Electricians Forums.

Those websites were online and running that day. And have been ever since. There’s not been a single day we haven’t made money out of those websites, names, branding and services we provide for free, on those domains.

Electricians Forums was created in 2006 in a small place in Staffordshire, called Newcastle Under Lyme, by one person. Who created many more of the same name. Electricians Forums is a recognised Trademark in the UK, owned by untold.media which is a Registered Trademark in the UK and has been used since 1999.

Electricians Forums and all of its proprietary belongings are used under licence by Audacious Media in operating the forums and al its related blogs and websites using the said trademarks.

They are not to be used without prior consent. The cost of using the mark for 12 months is £250,000. (VAT not applicable)

Using the mark without paying the fee in advance does not mean that you do not need to pay the fee for use of the mark after the fact. For each and every year you have used the mark. This includes similar domain names that are missing a letter S or two, that are using it without paying or before gaining permission and consent. If you company has many owners, each of the owners that used the mark would be liable to paying the fee.

Advice to those using a mark or domain name similar to ours?​

Change your domain name quickly, using Google Search Console to tell Google properly that your domain name has changed. Before Dan decides to use a no-win no-fee solicitor who are notoriously expensive to pay for when they win. And they will win. And the costs will be in the hundreds of thousands and will be sent to each director and share holder. Not just the limited company. We will want the properties and assets.

Electrician Forum is too close. You can’t have Electrician Forum claiming to be unique when it’s a direct rip off of Electricians Forums. Pay up or ---- off to a new unique domain please Welshies.



Continue reading...

 

[Admin]

Damn right. Get moving domains before I get moving legal.

 

[Admin]

Nominet UK, the domain registrar, has passed us to their legal guy, who is also a judge on their panel. (Conflict of interest or what?!! touting for business from nominet for his own legal company ha)

10k retainer, we're 5,642 pound into that pot now.

Some see you next tuesday has registered uk plumbers forum .co.uk now so we're doing this to protect our branding. Each one we win (and we will win them all as it's clear as day situation) helps us protect the next one.

So watch out lads. I'm planning for some christmas and new year stressing for you unless you shift domains quickly while you still have access to the electriciansforums.co.uk search console for google. As when we take the domain you wont have that benefit.

So get it transferred to a name you come up with all on your own like the good business men you all are. You must be able to think of one that doesn't just plagiarise an established brand.

 

[Rockingit]

" There appears to be some confusion over the domain name electricansforums.co.uk, and electriciansforums.co.uk. We have been asked a few times by potential buyers of the company what is going on with this domain that’s similar to ours. So I wanted to clear up something so it’s easy to understand to those with similar domain names, like Electrician Forum .co.uk who’s clearly trading on our mark. "

Am I being really dense here or is there a typo?

 

[newfutile]

I asuumed it meant electrician forum vs electricians forum.but I might be wrong

 

[DPG]

I assume someone has registered the url with the typo (ie. the 'i' missing)?

Otherwise aren't they both the same?

 

[Admin]

Ohhh its my word switching thing that's changed the URL for TEF lol

 

[Admin]

The company and domain i mean is the one with less letter S's in it

 

[Kyllie016]

Thanks for the clarification.
As someone who works in the trade, I’ve come across both domains before and always assumed they were connected. It’s helpful to see the timeline and background laid out clearly. Intellectual property and branding can often be overlooked in the trades, but this highlights how important it is to respect long-standing digital presence and trademarks. Appreciate the transparency and heads-up to others who might be unaware.

 

[Admin]

Thanks for the clarification.
As someone who works in the trade, I’ve come across both domains before and always assumed they were connected. It’s helpful to see the timeline and background laid out clearly. Intellectual property and branding can often be overlooked in the trades, but this highlights how important it is to respect long-standing digital presence and trademarks. Appreciate the transparency and heads-up to others who might be unaware.

Oh there are timelines of the Internet stored its called Internet archive look it up.

I'm pleased to hear you also be confused and assume theyre connected.

As that is what we will be clarifying via solicitors and then small claims if not the big boys court.

 

[Admin]

Just a note to say I have moved this thread to the following forum:-

Electrician Forum

Electrician Forum by Electricians Forums™. Accept no immitations. Electrician Forum Established in 2006.

www.electriciansforums.net

 

[Admin]

Okay so not had a response or reaction to this thread. They're just cracking on as if.

So they've started a limited company with several owners. All their information is for public use as its limited so ill start using this thread to collect and display the public information regarding the directors of this company, and then all the companies they own.

After that ill be buying domains related to all of theirs. And ranking them for their company names.

How would you guys as business owners handle such a case like this if something knocked a letter off of your company name and traded with it right in your street with you?

Would you be a bit annoyed about it like myself?

 

[littlespark]

I dont think any of our regular members knew how to respond to this thread.... Were you hoping that one of those people are a member, would read it and go "hi... yes, its me!"

(are they members? do you have any suspects?)


We are but lowly electricians... The Magicians of the electrons, but luddites when it comes to domain names, SEO and ranking.

 

[westward10]

Which forum is this the other one where nothing much happens?

 

[Admin]

Its getting back dont worry.

They restructured their site when they started it as a company and all shared the risk and responsibility behind a limited company.

They sort of got rid of some mentions of the wording around their site design, almost as if it doesn't have a name.

They switched from talk.elec... to just elec... like ours but with neither of the two S's in the domain. And it was then that they stopped using my company name or brand. But didn't switch to a unique domain. So totally can be easily contested. I dont want to be a knob and start getting their services terminated.

Id rather them just change the domain the same way they changed from subdomain to domain.

Not always expecting a reply but ive done these threads before and one did bite the bullet and come say something. So if they did that'd be helpful also. But not expecting them to this time they'd have checked legal and they'd have said theyre treading a tightrope every day theyre on it really.

You wouldn't assume you could do that would you? (Rhetorical) Micks Mugs and Mick Mug pops up in your search results piggybacking off your searches and name.