# Closing your Ruachost account

> How to close your Ruachost client account and have your personal data deleted, and what to do first.

Source: https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/getting-started/client-area/closing-your-ruachost-account/

You can ask us to close your Ruachost client account and delete your personal data.

## Before you close your account

Your account can only be closed when it has:

- **no active services.** Cancel each hosting plan and other service, and transfer away or let lapse any domains you want to keep or don't need. See [Transferring a domain out of Ruachost](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/domains/guides/transferring-a-domain-out-of-ruachost/).
- **no unpaid invoices.** Pay or cancel any outstanding invoices.

Also:

- **Download anything you want to keep:** website files, databases, email and invoices. Once your account is closed, we can't recover them.
- **Move services instead?** If someone else is taking over your website or domains, move them to their account instead. See [Moving services to another Ruachost account](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/getting-started/client-area/moving-services-to-another-ruachost-account/).

To cancel a hosting plan, open it in the client area and click **Request Cancellation**.

## Request account closure

1. Log in to the [client area](https://dashboard.ruachost.com/clientarea.php).
2. [Open a support ticket](https://dashboard.ruachost.com/submitticket.php) in the **General Enquiries** department, with the subject **Close my account**.
3. Tell us whether you also want your **personal data deleted**.

We'll check there are no active services or unpaid invoices, confirm with you, and close the account.

## What happens to your data

- Your client area login stops working.
- Your personal details are deleted or anonymised, except for records we must keep by law, such as invoices and payment records for tax purposes.
- See our [Privacy Policy](https://ruachost.com/legal/privacy-policy) for details.

## Changed your mind later?

You're welcome back any time: just [create a new account](https://dashboard.ruachost.com/register.php).