Citizen Space

As the statutory regulator of the architects’ profession, one of ARB’s functions is to set the standards of conduct and practice the profession must meet and take action when any architect falls below the required standards of conduct or competence. We set a Code of Conduct and Practice, and we have statutory obligations to keep the Code under review.

ARB published a new draft Code for consultation in September 2024. The proposed Code was based on six outcomes-focussed Standards, each of which is underlined with example behaviours. The Standards were intended to be underpinned by guidance, and a list of guidance topics was published as part of the consultation.

The consultation received a total of 441 responses.

More respondents agreed than disagreed with each of the proposed standards.

‘Honesty and integrity’ received the highest level of combined agreement (89%), and ‘Public interest’ received the lowest with 70%, which is still a strong majority. ‘Public interest’ also had the highest level of disagreement, but with only 16% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing.

More respondents agreed than disagreed with each of the proposed guidance topics.

‘Strongly agree’ was the most common response for each of the proposed topics. ‘Building safety’ and ‘Dealing with complaints and disputes’ received the highest level of agreement (80% and 79%), with building safety having a noticeably higher level of strong agreement (59%).

More information about how people responded to the consultation found in the full consultation analysis report.

The consultation revealed that there is strong support for our proposed Standards and guidance.

Some respondents suggested improvements to the Code’s language, helping us identify areas that need clarification. We are reviewing and considering all drafting suggestions, particularly those relating to definitions. We will also consider how we might use examples or case studies in the guidance to improve understanding.

Many of the suggestions we received were ideas that we cannot adopt, either because they are outside of our statutory remit (such as fees) or because we are not the appropriate body (such as pay or employment law). However, we will consider how we can incorporate some of the helpful or more detailed suggestions into the updated Code and the guidance we are currently developing.

We will consult on each guidance document before it is introduced, grouping them together for publication to reduce the number of consultations. At all times, we will be clear as to what guidance applies and its role, so that architects know what is expected of them, and know what standards they would be judged against should a disciplinary case come about.

We will publish the final version of the Code this summer, once the Board has considered the drafting improvements we are making in light of the consultation.

We are now also initially publishing draft versions of three of the guidance documents for consultation. This is the first of three consultations.The guidance we are consulting on initially are: 

• Dealing with complaints 

• Professional indemnity insurance 

• Terms of engagement 

You can participate in this new consultation here. 

As part of ARB’s reforms to initial education and training, in 2023, we introduced a new approach to the accreditation of qualifications. This new approach was formalised in a set of procedures, known as ‘Accreditation Rules’ which the Board approved on 18 October 2023. 

Accreditation Rule 4.2 requires that any learning provider who is applying to ARB for accreditation of a Level 7 master’s qualification (or equivalent) must either have degree awarding powers or have a formal agreement with a body with such powers. 

The Accreditation Rules were published in draft as part of a public consultation on the full suite of ARB’s education reforms, and the feedback received through this consultation informed the Board’s decision to introduce the Rules. The draft Rules included the term ‘qualification awarding powers’. ARB changed the language of this rule to ‘degree awarding powers’ after the close of the consultation to improve the clarity of the wording in the Rules.  

In this later consultation, we consulted on this rule for completeness, to ensure all stakeholders are aware of the Rule as drafted and the policy intent behind it, and to ensure we have not misunderstood the impacts of the requirement.

The consultation was open between 24 September and 4 November 2024. It received 10 responses.

​All respondents supported the principle that ARB should seek appropriate assurances about a learning providers’ capability and capacity to deliver accredited qualifications. This means all respondents agreed with the policy intent behind the rule.

​Most consultees supported the requirement for a learning provider to hold degree awarding powers or have a formal agreement with an organisation which does, if they are to deliver an accredited master’s level qualification.

​The only two objectors to the Rule were the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA). While acknowledging that the rule would not affect any existing providers, they said the restriction would have the potential to limit routes to the Register, which contradicts ARB’s stated goal of widening access to the profession.

ARB’s Board considered feedback from the consultation at its meeting on Tuesday 11 February 2025.

One of the suggestions raised in consultation responses was that the Rule would limit access to the profession. We have considered this argument, but given there are no current providers impacted by this Rule, we do not see this as a significant risk.

Only three currently accredited providers do not have degree awarding powers and all of them have a relationship with providers that do. As a result, no accredited providers would have accreditation revoked as a result of this Rule.

It is still our view that the change does not create any detriment to any existing provider but provides clarity about the quality assurance expectations. It also enables us to take a proportionate and risk-based approach, aware that additional quality assurance is provided by those regulating higher education.

There was nothing within the consultation responses that led the Board to change this longstanding position. The Board’s decision was therefore to make no changes to the Rules.

The Board paper, including the analysis of the responses, can be accessed here.

From July 2024 to September 2024, we launched a consultation on changes to ARB’s General Rules and Registration Rules.

The proposals included changes to the General Rules in the form of adjustments to improve clarity and consistency. Policies and processes relating to registration matters are separated into a new document, the Registration Rules, to improve clarity and accessibility, with some new items contained:

1. They formally set out for the first time the requirements for architects to carry out Continuing Professional Development as a condition of registration, following an amendment Parliament made to the Architects Act 1997 when it approved the Building Safety Act 2022. The Rules give effect to and articulate how ARB will carry out the policies within the Scheme for CPD, including, for example, how and when architects would be removed from the Register for failing to comply.
2. They propose that architects must now pay fees electronically through the MyARB portal. This change will improve the efficiency of ARB’s processes and the security of personal and financial data.
3. They include a requirement that architects must declare any criminal convictions they have, and confirm that they have read and understood and continue to act in accordance with the Architects Code, before registration can be renewed.
4. They propose further clarity on the responsibility for architects to provide and maintain contact details where they can be reached at home, relating to their professional registration, and their business (if different), which will be used on the public register. They also propose that architects can now restrict some of their publicly available contact details.
5. They propose that in future, ARB will send out the retention fee notice by email only. This would be a more environmentally sustainable and cost effective approach than printing and posting notices to every registrant and is expected to save more than £60,000 a year.
6. They propose that ARB should have the power to remove an architect from the Register when they have only been registered because of fraud or error.

We received seven responses to the consultation. All respondents were architects, including one who is also an academic.

Respondents agreed overall with each of our statements and there were no substantive concerns that lead to the need for any further amendments the Rules following the consultation. Every response was read and analysed. Topics raised by respondents have already been considered by ARB in our earlier work as part of the development of the proposed Rules.

ARB’s Board considered suggestions and feedback from the consultation at its meeting on Wednesday 9 October 2024. It approved the updated General Rules and Registration Rules.

The Board paper, including the analysis of the responses, can be accessed here.

An updated version of the new General Rules can be accessed here and the new Registration Rules can be accessed here.

The approved Rules have taken effect and so the outgoing Rules have been replaced.