Website hostage situation

I hired an independent contractor to build and design my website. I provide her with my domain name (which I legally own) and all of the content, i.e. pictures and texts. I pay her the amount she requested for such services. She in turn builds the site through an online website building program. Later, we have a verbal discussion in regards to monthly updates and we agree upon a specifc amount. I send her the money through my paypal account. She then sends me an email stating that she doesn't feel the amount is a fair price for her time and work and suggests I find a new web designer to conduct such updates. I agree and find someone else. When I ask her to provide me with the website source files... She states to me via email..."you simply need to request from me the removal of the redirection of your IP address from my site which is an immediate termination of the link of your domain name to my hosting. So the webdesigner can create his own layout and link his IP to your domain. Let me know when your new website is done and I will remove your site immediately from your domain".

She is pretty much telling me that if I do not continue to use her services then she will delete my site. It is my understanding that I contracted her to build my website and that it now legally belongs to me. I own the domain name and have copyrights to all of the pictures and text. I feel like I am being held hostage in this situation. Do I legally own the website that I contracted her to build for me? Or does she own the website and has the legal right to NOT transfer the source files to me because she built it and feels the designs belong to her?

Jenny Milstead
www.jennymilstead.com

I don't believe she has rights to keep the design from you if you paid for it, but technically, you may have to give her copyright a mention inside html of pages. I think your site could be easily copied by a designer from just going to the domain. Actually, you could start doing it too by using File > Save Page As from your browser on each page; it would save copies of all images and html to your computer. If she takes down your site, then at least you'll have most of the content to give to a new designer.