shut down wordpress hosted site I don’t have access to

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  tomslade03e628bcad · Member · Jun 3, 2026 at 3:33 pm

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  I need to delete a wordpress hosted site that was started by a colleague or most likely previous employee. It was started 11 years ago.
  
  I don’t know who it was from our company, or why it was originally setup. It offers no benefit to our company. Hasn’t been updated in years and needs to be deleted/turned off ASAP. I don’t want to put the link on here as don’t want any backlinks to the site.
  
  Thanks in advance.
  
  Tom

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  hellocom8123094098 · Member · Jun 5, 2026 at 5:59 am

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  Hi Tom.

  NOTICE: I don’t work for WordPress.

  For old accounts such as the one you are describing, you need to start the account recovery process using the “Recover your account” form found on this page: wordpress.com/support/contact/
  
  It is the beginning of the process and if you own / work at the business, chances are you may be able to track down enough information to verify your identity.
  
  The only person that can delete content is you, and the only way to do that is to gain access to that account using the recovery process.

  I hope you find that helpful.

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  tomslade03e628bcad · Member · Jun 5, 2026 at 12:31 pm

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  Thanks so much for taking the time to send me a reply and sending me the account recovery link.
  
  I have tried using the account recovery form already and finding out that kind of information from 11 years ago, within a large company, is not possible.
  
  I have just managed to find the old email account and can now monitor it. However, the password reset emails refuse to come through (says it is successful). My own tests show that the address is receiving emails ok. Email history does not go back 11 years!
  
  Hopefully one of the mods can help me further?
  Is there any way of closing the account without me having access?
  
  I can provide proof that I work at the company and I can prove that the company is the same as featured in the blog. The individual is no longer at the company and theoretically the company owns the WordPress blog and not the individual.