Another successful prosecution for ARB

Another successful prosecution for ARB (03/12/2007)

On 28 November 2007, Bradford magistrates found Mohammed Farooq Hussain guilty of breaching Section 20 of the Architects Act by describing himself as an architect when he had no legal right to do so. They fined him £2,000 and ordered him to pay an additional £1,629.19 in costs.

The case had been brought by ARB, the UK’s statutory regulator of architects. ARB confirmed that only properly trained and qualified people can join the UK Register of Architects and call themselves an architect in the course of their business or practice. Mr Hussain has never been registered with ARB.

Mr Hussain, of 2 Steadman Street, Bradford, did not attend for the case but in his absence, magistrates heard that he had not only held himself out as an architect, but that he had made a statement to that effect in the course of legal proceedings. The magistrates took a serious view of Mr Hussain’s breach of the law, and this was reflected in the level of fine they imposed.

Speaking after the hearing, a spokesperson for ARB said:

“We are delighted with the outcome to this case. The work we are doing with the telephone directories to eliminate “Architect” mislistings has helped to raise awareness of title regulation, and we are vigorously pursuing individuals who deliberately mislead members of the public into believing that they’re something they’re not. In this case, as well as in the last prosecution we brought, magistrates have imposed severe fines. This should serve as a salutary warning to others who might be tempted to follow Mr Hussain’s example and hold themselves out to be an architect when they are not.”