Professional Practice

Architects Code: Standards of Conduct and Practice

Section 13 of the Architects Act 1997 (“the Act”) requires the Architects Registration Board (“the    Board”), the statutory regulator of architects in the UK, to issue a Code laying down the standards of professional conduct and practice expected of persons registered as architects under the Act. The Architects Code is that Code. Any failure to comply with the provisions of this Code is not of itself to be taken as constituting unacceptable professional conduct or serious professional incompetence, but it shall be taken into account in any disciplinary proceedings before the Board’s Professional Conduct Committee.

Architects are expected to be guided in their professional conduct and professional work by the spirit of the Code as well as by its express terms. The fact that a course of conduct is not specifically referred to in the Code does not mean that it cannot form the basis of disciplinary proceedings. Each case is judged on its facts, and there may be circumstances in which unacceptable professional conduct or serious professional incompetence is found even where there has been no clear breach of the express terms of the Code.

Not every shortcoming, or failure to meet the Standards expected by the Code, will necessarily give rise to disciplinary proceedings.

A disciplinary order may be made against the architect if he or she is convicted of a criminal offence, other than where that offence has no material relevance to architect’s fitness to practise as an architect.