Professional Conduct Committee fines architect for failing to deal with complaints

Professional Conduct Committee fines architect for failing to deal with complaints (26/03/2007)

At a Hearing of the Architects Registration Board’s Professional Conduct Committee in London on 13 March 2007, architect Stuart Bentley of Swansea was found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and fined £1500 failing to deal with complaints promptly and appropriately, and for failing to answer correspondence from ARB.

The Committee heard that problems arose following the completion of a new development in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire. Mr Bentley ignored his client’s request that the problems be rectified, after initially claiming that the matter was in the hands of his insurers. When the client brought his complaint to ARB the architect failed to respond to the Board’s enquiries about the complaint.

Prior to the Hearing, Mr Bentley’s solicitor wrote to the Professional Conduct Committee explaining that he would not be attending due to cost and time constraints.

Chairman of the PCC, Angela Deacon, noted that under Standard 12 of the Code of Conduct:

“Architects must deal with disputes or complaints concerning the professional work or that of their practice or business promptly and appropriately”.

She also said that while architects must be cautious where there is a negligence claim,

“it was unacceptable that Mr Bentley ignored for long periods of time the client’s correspondence and complaints.”

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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 (among other things) 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 unlawfully (Section 20)

Standard 12 of the Architects’ Code of Conduct and Practice requires that Architects deal with disputes or complaints concerning their professional work or that of their practice or business promptly and appropriately.

Any moneys from fines imposed by the Professional Conduct Committee are paid to HM Treasury.

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.