Our call for a competence-led approach to architects\u2019 regulation\u00a0<\/p>\n
RIBA is calling for a new regulatory approach to the built environment that focuses on public protection through reserved activities delivered by competent professionals.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Under the current regulatory system\u00a0for\u00a0UK architects, only the title \u2018architect\u2019 is legally restricted,\u00a0with\u00a0no oversight of the competence of those who undertake architectural services or activities.\u00a0This\u00a0means\u00a0anyone\u00a0can\u00a0perform the work of an architect,\u00a0as long as\u00a0they do not\u00a0call themselves one.\u00a0This does nothing to ensure quality or safety and places an unnecessary financial burden on the profession with little demonstrable public benefit.<\/p>\n
What are\u00a0we\u00a0recommending?<\/p>\n
There should be defined activities reserved to suitably competent professionals in relation to full planning applications, building control applications and final compliance certificates<\/p>\n
This would bring us into alignment with the position in most developed economies. While recognising that this may not cover all controlled building work in its entirety, it should cover all significant building work where multiple consultants and contractors are appointed.<\/p>\n
To achieve this new framework, we\u00a0suggest:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Repealing\u00a0the Architects Act\u00a01997<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Architects\u00a0Act\u00a0is\u00a0the current legislation that regulates the use of the title\u00a0‘architect’\u00a0in the UK.\u00a0Regulating title alone offers no oversight over the competence of those who undertake architectural services or\u00a0activities,\u00a0therefore,\u00a0we recommend\u00a0repealing the act.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Replacing\u00a0the Architects Act\u00a0with new legislation that sets out reserved activities\u00a0<\/p>\n
A\u00a0new piece of legislation for the built environment could be modelled on the Legal Services Act, which restricts certain legal activities to various groupings of qualified professionals. Our proposed legislation would set out exactly which suitably competent professionals were able to undertake\u00a0the\u00a0reserved functions,\u00a0set out above.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This model would set out a clear statutory framework and would clearly define reserved activities helping deliver public protection. It would also provide\u00a0a high level\u00a0of accountability and assurance for protecting safety if applied to all significant building works.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Oversight of the competence requirements of construction industry professional bodies should be by a Built Environment Council<\/p>\n
The government should create a Built Environment Council that oversees the construction industry chartered professional bodies whose members are the suitably competent professionals. These professionals would then undertake reserved functions set out in the new legislation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Further information<\/p>\n