Common questions.
Simple answers.

Website hosting is the online space and technology that stores your website and makes it available whenever someone visits your web address.

Think of your website as a physical shop. Your domain name is the address, the website is the shop itself, and hosting is the space it occupies. Without hosting, there is nowhere for the website to live and nothing for visitors to access.

Your domain name is the address people type into their browser. Your website is the collection of pages, words, photographs and features they see. Your hosting is the online space and technology that keeps those pages available.

They work together, but they are separate services. Lighthouse can help you understand and manage each part where it falls within your individual agreement.

Standard hosting gives your website somewhere to live. Managed hosting also means the technical work behind it is properly looked after for you.

With Lighthouse, this includes hosting, backups, security, SSL management, software updates, monitoring, troubleshooting, website changes and human support. The exact service is confirmed in your individual hosting agreement.

Your website needs online resources every day, not only when it is first built. Hosting pays for the systems that store the website and make it available to visitors.

A managed service also covers the ongoing work required to maintain, monitor and support the website. You are paying for both the infrastructure and the people keeping watch.

Yes, you could arrange and manage your own website hosting. However, you would also become responsible for the hosting platform, website security, SSL certificates, backups, software updates, technical troubleshooting and restoring the website if something goes wrong.

You may also need to manage website changes, domain and DNS settings, third-party integrations, cookie tools, tracking code and services such as Google Ads. Self-hosting can work if you have the time and technical knowledge, but it involves considerably more than simply renting server space. Lighthouse takes care of that responsibility for you.

If your website was provided through a separately confirmed funded arrangement, the availability of an outgoing website-file export will be subject to the transfer conditions of that arrangement.

The service includes managed hosting, regular backups, SSL management, website security, routine technical maintenance, monitoring, troubleshooting, support, email setup and a monthly update allowance for reasonable website changes.

On occasion, a website may have additional requirements beyond these standard inclusions. Where that applies, the exact arrangements will be clearly set out in your individual hosting agreement.

Yes. Where the hosting and domain configuration supports it, Lighthouse will activate and manage the SSL certificate included with the hosting service.

If an existing website or domain arrangement requires a separately purchased certificate, we'll identify that during our review and discuss any cost with you before proceeding.

No website can be made completely immune to every threat, but we take sensible technical precautions and respond when something requires attention.

Yes. We maintain regular automated backups of website files and databases. Where supported by the hosting arrangement, mailbox backups are also maintained.

Where your website uses WordPress, themes or plugins, Lighthouse can take care of routine updates and related technical maintenance where appropriate.

Yes. Your managed service includes up to one hour per billing month for light changes such as replacing photographs, changing text, adding testimonials or making other straightforward amendments to the website.

Yes. Where supported by your package, Lighthouse can create and manage professional email accounts using your domain.

You don't need to diagnose the problem yourself. Tell us what is happening and we'll investigate the technical side, explain what we find and take the appropriate next step.

No. Lighthouse manages the hosting environment on your behalf, so customers do not receive hosting-panel, server, database or deployment access as standard.

You remain in control of your business and website content, while Lighthouse remains responsible for the technical environment supporting it.

In many cases, yes. We can review your existing website, its current hosting and its technical requirements before confirming whether Lighthouse is a suitable home for it.

If it is a good fit, we'll explain what we need and manage a straightforward transfer to Lighthouse without an incoming migration charge. Remedial work, paid software or unusual technical requirements will be discussed separately before we proceed.

We plan website moves carefully to minimise disruption. Many websites can be transferred with little or no noticeable downtime, although this cannot be guaranteed in every situation.

The condition of the existing website, access to the current provider and changes to domain settings can all affect a move. We'll identify foreseeable issues and explain the process before work begins.

You own your domain name. If Lighthouse registers or administers a domain on your behalf, it remains your domain.

Using Lighthouse does not transfer ownership of your business materials, supplied content or customer-specific intellectual property to us. Ownership of that content is separate from the right to receive an outgoing website-file export, which may depend on your individual arrangement.

Third-party software, licences, themes, plugins and technical systems remain subject to their own ownership and licensing conditions.

If you manage your domain through another registrar, you remain responsible for renewing it. Lighthouse may need suitable access to connect it to your hosting.

Where Lighthouse manages the domain, the current standard annual renewal charge is £50. If the actual domain cost exceeds the standard renewal amount, we will discuss this with you before accepting responsibility for it. A domain registered by Lighthouse on your behalf remains your domain.

Often, yes. We will first review the website to understand how it was built, what software it uses and whether it can be safely supported on our hosting.

Some older, heavily customised or poorly maintained websites may need remedial work before we can manage them. If Lighthouse is not the right fit, we'll tell you honestly.

We generally endeavour to respond as quickly as possible. Standard website change requests may take up to three working days.

Requests are prioritised according to urgency and impact, so a website that is unavailable will naturally be treated differently from a routine text change. Any support arrangements specific to your website will be set out in your individual agreement.

No, and we would rather be honest about that. Lighthouse is best suited to business websites whose owners want reliable hosting, ongoing technical care and access to human support.

Very large platforms, complex web applications or websites with highly specialised infrastructure may require a different hosting environment. We'll review your website before recommending a move.

Standard Lighthouse hosting can be cancelled with 30 days' written notice. Your website will remain live during the paid notice period unless it has been suspended for non-payment, prohibited use, a security threat or another material breach.

A standard outgoing website-file export costs £100. This covers preparing and supplying a usable export as part of leaving Lighthouse. Additional migration work or assistance involving another provider may be quoted separately, and all outstanding balances must be paid before an export or transfer is completed.

If your website was provided through a separately confirmed funded arrangement, an outgoing website-file export is not included until 12 monthly payments have been completed. This is an export condition, not a minimum service term. You may still cancel earlier with 30 days' notice and will not owe future monthly service fees after cancellation takes effect. If you cancel before completing 12 payments, the website will be taken offline and no website-file export will be provided.

You retain your domain, approved copy, photographs, branding and other customer-owned business materials.

The cost depends on your website, the resources it needs and the level of management and support included. A straightforward business website will not necessarily require the same package as a larger or more complex site.

Tell us a little about your website and what you need. We'll review it and provide a clear recommendation before you make any commitment.