Professional Conduct Committee suspends architect for criminal conviction and lack of insurance

Professional Conduct Committee suspends architect for criminal conviction and lack of insurance (19/06/2007)

At a Hearing of the Architects Registration Board’s Professional Conduct Committee in London on 6 June 2007, architect Ingrid Morris was suspended from the Register of Architects for 12 months after being found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct and convicted of a criminal offence.

The Committee heard that in February 2006 Ms Morris had been convicted by Horseferry Road Magistrates Court of breaching the Planning Act 1990, in connection with advice given to her client in relation to the removal of a listed staircase at a property in Westminster. Ms Morris had also been practising without professional indemnity insurance in place, and this resulted in problems for both the architect and her client and serious financial costs for Ms Morris.

Ms Morris denied that her conviction had material relevance to her fitness to practise as an architect; although she pleaded guilty to unacceptable professional conduct in relation to the insurance matter.

The Committee found that the conviction was of material relevance to Ms Morris’ fitness to practise and in announcing the Committee’s decision, PCC Chairman Peter Verdin indicated there were inconsistencies in the architect’s explanations. Furthermore, he explained that the Committee took extremely seriously the fact that Ms Morris had confirmed to the Board in her annual professional indemnity insurance return that she was not in practice, when in fact she was.

The Committee ordered that Ms Morris be suspended from the Register for one year, during which time she may not carry on business under any name, style or title containing the word ‘architect’.

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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 unlawfully (Section 20)

Standard 8 of the Board’s Code of Conduct and Practice requires that architects maintain appropriate professional indemnity insurance. The Board has stated that six years worth of run-off cover is required to cover claims from previous projects.

It is an offence for any person not on the Register of Architects to use the title ‘architect(s)’ in business or practice.

Any monies 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.