Professional Conduct Committee fines architect after a finding of unacceptable professional conduct (03/12/2007)
At a Hearing of the Architects Registration Board’s Professional Conduct Committee in London on 26 November 2007, architect John Marshall of Marshall Associates, 7 Baldwins Hill, Loughton, Essex, was issued with a £1,000 penalty order after being found guilty of unacceptable professional conduct.
The Committee heard that Mr Marshall had been employed to work on a domestic extension in Essex in January 2006. In his letter of engagement the architect had confirmed that he would charge in stages, and his client also requested him to clarify his fees. The Committee heard that instead, he submitted one final invoice and failed to provide any such clarification.
During the course of the Board’s investigations into the matter, it emerged that Mr Marshall had used the title “architect” after being removed temporarily from the Register for non-payment of his retention fee; and failed to have Professional Indemnity Insurance in place whilst in practice.
After hearing the evidence the Committee found the following facts proved, and substantiated that the architect was guilty of unacceptable professional conduct:
- he did not provide his client with the terms of his engagement (as required by Standard 11.1 of the Code of Conduct)
- he failed to charge his client in stages as he had promised to
- he failed to have Professional Indemnity Insurance in respect of his practice, or arrange run-off cover for previous activities
- he used the title “architect” during a period when he was not entitled to do so
Mr Marshall did not attend the Hearing; however the Committee was satisfied he had been given ample opportunity to do so. The Chairman of the Committee commented that there had been a “clear breach of duty” in this case.
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