I am just wondering what would you guys do if you see one of your hosted client has ripped some hosting provider's template? I have faced a similar issue and wondering about your comment as a hosting provider.

Give them a warning and ask them to change it

I have done that already, but the hosting provider doesn't seem to be interested enough in helping. I don't know really what else it could be other than the designer himself (From AKDesigner) sends the notification of owning copyright. AKDesigner is quit popular in WHT, and they have done designs for few big companies here.

presumably you'd have a tos clause saying no copyright infringement, and kick them without backups as soon as you can verify that it's not their template

You have the right to suspend that account - copyright infringement is illegal and unless something in your TOS allows you, you have grounds for suspension. Nothing he can do about it, it's not like he'll come up with proof of copyright out of no where and fight back.

Give them a warning and ask them to change it

Still using the ripped site, yourself?

Until you get a legal complaint there really isn't too much you can do about it (unless there is a clause in your ToS)

Greetings,

Unfortunately there is not much you should do as it can sometimes backfire. If I were the customer, I would question the hosts intentions of "snooping" through my sites. This would be grounds for me personally leaving the hosting provider. Of course there is an exception to this if you are investigating a security breach, reachieved DMCA or looking for very large files that may violate your TOS.

With that being said, how well worded is your TOS? Do you have a clause in there saying that you have the right to browse your customers sites to periodically monitor for potential violations of your TOS? If not, you should add it. In my case I do have this but rarely excersize this unless I have a good reason. Just imagine if you had 10,000 sites hosted and looked in all :eek:
Unlike nulled software, Website Template Rips can be a touchy subject as many hosts use templates purchased by many template stores such as Template Monster and customize them with their own verbiage and logo's. It can sometimes be very difficult to tell a complete original design from one that is sold to 50+ other hosts. The exception is if they leave the victim's logo on the page or live chat (do a search in the forum and you will find plenty of examples). Don't be one of those "shot first, ask questions later" hosts. To sum it up, wait for a VALIID DMCA FIRST.
Sorry for the long post, but properly dealing with this sort of issue is one way that a good host can become a great host. Software and Template Piracy is an ever growing problem that will only just get worse, so in this case dealing with it properly is the best way to go.

I would leave it until I received a complaint directly.from the host that owns the design, at the end of the day they might have been given rights to the design

...The exception is if they leave the victim's logo on the page or live chat (do a search in the forum and you will find plenty of examples).

There's that and checking the source code to see if any of the tags like <div id="uniqueheader"> <div class="uniquelogoname"> are the same, etc.

Email the owner of the site.