Success for ARB in the Courts

Success for ARB in the Courts (17/01/2006)

On 5 January 2006, Alan Dearden of High Peak, Derbyshire, was found guilty by High Peak Magistrates’ Court of three offences relating to Section 20 of the Architects Act (use of the title “architect”).

The complaint was made to ARB by a local architect.

Despite putting forward substantial mitigation, the magistrates imposed a fine on Mr Dearden for each of the three offences, and further ordered him to pay a contribution to the prosecution costs.

Commenting after the case, the Regulation Department said that Mr Dearden had knowingly been breaching the Act for some 18 months. The Magistrates’ findings reflected the seriousness of the offence, and sent out a strong message to the profession and to the public that ARB will not tolerate use of the title “architect” by those in the business or practice of architecture who are not legally entitled to do so.

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Notes for Editors

ARB is the statutory body established by Parliament under the Architects Act 1997 to regulate the UK architects’ profession in the public interest. The Act requires ARB (inter alia) to:

• Maintain the Register of Architects (Section 3)

• Prescribe qualifications for entry to the Register of Architects (Section 4)

• Deal with competence to practise (Section 9)

• Issue a Code which lays down standards of professional conduct and practice (Section 13)

• Regulate use of the title “architect” and prosecute those who use it fraudulently (Section 20)

ARB has a Board of 15 members, seven of whom are architects elected by the profession. The remaining eight are members of the public appointed by the Privy Council to represent the interests of consumers and users of architectural services.

ARB is not responsible for setting the levels of fines or costs; this is a matter entirely for the magistrates.

Moneys raised from fines are paid to HM Treasury, not to ARB

For further information, please contact Alan Peacock, Regulation Manager, on 020 7580 5861, or by email on

alanp@arb.org.uk