need urgent help in transfering domain name

[admin]

i got a free domain name under a local web host package, but wish to terminate my contract with the web host. i want to get back my domain name but it is under them since its free.i have to pay $20 to get it back, but not sure how to go about it.do i need to get a new webhost to transfer it, i want my site data to be intact, including the osCommerce i painstakingly configure for days.so what do i do first? get a new webhost, pay the cash and get my domain name and transfer it? or get my domain name back first? u noe this kind of unreliable companies...i am afraid they refuse to hand back my domain name. den i would have wasted more money to sign up a new webhost and end up wif 2 accounts.pls help, my site has been down for 4 days and its the 2nd time this happened. best part is i have been with them for less than 3 weeks! can u imagine 1 year? the webhost has a history of being attacked because they refused to pay any money to secure their servers. no refunds from them too which, according to their policy, they ought to. shall not whine any further, pls suggest my best route to take now.