What this means
Start with the exact decision in front of you.
ARB can investigate registered architects for unacceptable professional conduct or serious professional incompetence. The first response should preserve the complaint and project record, distinguish professional discipline from a fee or contract dispute, and identify which version of the Architects Code applies to the events.
Immediate priorities
Organise the position before responding.
Save the complaint, enclosures and response deadline
Secure the appointment, project file and communication record
Identify civil, insurance, employer or building-safety processes using the same facts
Detailed guidance
The procedure, evidence and possible route from here.
01
Confirm ARB's disciplinary remit
ARB regulates people on the UK Register of Architects and can investigate alleged unacceptable professional conduct or serious professional incompetence. It does not resolve every fee, contract, negligence or service dispute and cannot award compensation. Read the complaint for the alleged professional failing and check registration status at the relevant time. A dispute may proceed elsewhere while ARB considers a distinct disciplinary question, so label the processes accurately.
ARB generally cannot investigate complaints more than six years old unless special circumstances apply. Record the dates of the alleged conduct, when the complainant learned of it and any continuing events. Do not assume that an old project is automatically excluded or that a recent consequence resets the date. If jurisdiction, time or identity is disputed, raise the point with supporting records while still preserving the substantive project evidence.
- Check registration and respondent identity
- Identify the alleged UPC or SPI issue
- Record conduct and complaint dates precisely
02
Preserve the complete architectural project file
Secure the appointment, scope, fee agreement, design information, statutory submissions, risk records, inspection notes, certificates, advice and communications. Preserve versions and metadata because design development and later revision can change apparent meaning. If the work involved consultants, contractors or another architect, record responsibility from the contracts and actual instructions rather than assumption. Any retrospective account should be separately dated and identify its source.
Professional indemnity notification and the regulatory response may run together but serve different purposes. Notify the insurer or broker under the policy terms before making admissions that could affect cover. Client confidentiality and legal privilege require careful handling; neither should be invoked as a blanket reason to withhold material from ARB without analysis. If a former practice holds the file, request access promptly and document what is unavailable.
- Freeze the original project and communication record
- Map contractual roles and instructions
- Coordinate insurer notification before substantive admissions
03
Give a controlled initial response
Answer the stated questions and explain the professional context needed to understand the documents. Separate what the architect directly remembers from what the file shows. Avoid contacting the complainant to persuade withdrawal or asking colleagues to align recollections. A withdrawal does not necessarily end ARB's public-interest function, and witness contact can create a further concern if it appears pressuring or interferes with evidence.
Create a timeline for any civil claim, adjudication, ombudsman matter, building-safety inquiry or employer process concerning the same project. Facts should remain consistent, but each forum applies a different test and may have different disclosure rules. If concurrent court proceedings make a regulatory step unfair or prejudicial, use ARB's published guidance and make a focused application rather than simply refusing to engage.
- Answer the regulator's actual questions
- Keep witness contact appropriate and recorded
- Map every parallel proceeding and deadline
Key questions
Keep the analysis tied to this stage.
Whether the respondent was registered and within ARB jurisdiction
Whether the complaint is within time and regulatory scope
Whether the information could amount to UPC or SPI
Advice is provided only by the regulated firm that accepts a matter.
Common questions
Clarifying the route without assuming the outcome.
Can ARB order an architect to compensate a client?
No. ARB's complaint materials explain that it cannot award compensation or resolve contract and fee disputes; those issues may have separate routes.
Does a complaint being over six years old always end the case?
ARB ordinarily applies a six-year limit but may consider special circumstances. The exact dates and current acceptance guidance should be checked.
Connected guidance
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Official sources
Check the material for this question.
Sources checked 19 September 2026. Rules change, so compare the current notice and linked official material and tell the operator if a citation or summary needs correction.