Hey everyone, I need some advice regarding a situation we're facing with a rogue IT provider who acted as our Google Workspace reseller. I'm assisting a small business (around 10 users) that has been with the same provider for years, handling everything from domains to backups and Google Workspace. They recently decided to bring everything in-house and sent a respectful offboarding email to the MSP requesting admin credentials and documentation. Instead of cooperating, the MSP terminated access to all services, including Google Workspace, on the day they received the email.
Now we're in a tough spot: we've regained control of the domain for DNS management, but Google refuses to help us recover our Workspace account since it's linked to the reseller. We're currently locked out of all our email, user accounts, and any knowledge of past backups or documentation.
Here are my burning questions:
1. Has anyone successfully escalated a situation like this with Google to bypass or remove a reseller?
2. Is there a legal way to regain access or hold the MSP accountable for this situation?
3. Should we just create a new Google Workspace account and move on, accepting that we might lose data?
4. Is there any licensing body or authority to report this MSP to?
I'm really just trying to help this business recover from what feels like a massive betrayal. They're mainly worried about retrieving their Google Workspace account and email history, while I feel more confident about the other aspects. Any guidance would be much appreciated!
7 Answers
Definitely advise them to bring their lawyer into this. It’s a serious matter if the MSP is locking them out like this.
Legal action is the way to go here. You need to have a lawyer look at the contract for guidance on what to do next.
1. If you have a support contact at Google, escalate the case! I’ve seen similar problems with providers like Microsoft 365, and their support isn’t always helpful if it’s through a reseller.
2. Your management should definitely check the legal side ASAP. Look at your contract with the MSP; they might not have grounds to cut services like this unless the account had issues or you requested it.
3. Opening a new Google Workspace account could be a good backup plan. It ensures business continuity while you sort this mess. You can migrate data later if you regain access.
4. Unfortunately, there's no regulatory body for MSPs in the US. You could file a complaint with the BBB, but results can vary.
Yeah, it’s risky for them to cut critical services abruptly without good reason. If you weren't a difficult client, they might have crossed a line.
Things might go smoother once the company settles any outstanding balance with the provider. But remember, it’s not always just about the payment. I've seen situations where locks can escalate into lengthy legal battles.
Honestly, this sounds like a situation for legal action instead of just IT support. Get a lawyer involved, and it might help to send a copy of your issues to Google, which could expedite their response.
A big question is whether your client owns the domain linked to the Google account or if it’s registered under the MSP. That detail could change things drastically.
True, but it's tricky. I’ve been in situations where the contract terms allowed for some behavior that left us stuck, so check that carefully. Sometimes offboarding is chargeable, and it could be a double-edged sword.