Architect Problem Help
Discussion
Hi guys, have this in the home DIY section too, but maybe there are some guys on here business wise, lawyers or architects in the know.
Basically to cut a long story short. We have been trying for the last 4 years to knock down our house and rebuild it. Our architect put in a first set of plans 4 years ago which was refused to to height and mass bulk. A little while later, he brought his developer mate in to buy our next door neighbour. He then submitted more plans for both neighbours (or now developers house) and our house. This was refused again as the 2 houses he submitted this time were even taller and bigger.
We chatted to the planning guys and they said if our architect had chatted to them before, they would have told him it was not acceptable, rather than having to wait the whole 8 weeks. Its obvious now it would not be acceptable as the first one was refused. He lied his way and said the planning woman said it would be fine. A lot of time later....and a 3rd set of plans. We had a weird shaped boundary, almost like an L shape, so the architect submitted plans with the boundary straightened between us...so the developer gains in the back and we gained in the front...a simple land swap they said.
The new plans were approved. Then the developer for some reason thought he was going to build our house, he already registered our house with NHBC without any discussion. He then said he would build our house first and then build theirs afterwards...which obviously rang alarm bells in our ehad that they wanted to build their house at our expense. His final quote was £250,000 more than all the other builders, so we found another good home builder and went with them instead. When we did this...the developer went and put boarding up on the old L shaped boundary so we could not build, as the house had to be a metre from boundary, so we had to put in for planning again to have the house position moved.
for all this initial crap, we forked out a ridiculous £14,000 to the architect.
Now a year on after we have built our house, he has sent what seems to be fake manufactured invoices for another £12,000 with no proper break downs. We have confronted him on this and many other issues that have arisen in the past, on how he has colluded with the developer to do us over. How can such simple cad drawings of moving the breakfast room slightly and position changes come up to a ridiculous sum.
He is now stating that if not paid in full he holds all the copyrights to the design of our house and will send debt collectors. Bare in mind we have no contract with this guy and no agreed sums.
I have a meeting with him tomorrow as he said he wants to come and see me...anything I could say in defense probably? or any ideas?
soz for the essay
Basically to cut a long story short. We have been trying for the last 4 years to knock down our house and rebuild it. Our architect put in a first set of plans 4 years ago which was refused to to height and mass bulk. A little while later, he brought his developer mate in to buy our next door neighbour. He then submitted more plans for both neighbours (or now developers house) and our house. This was refused again as the 2 houses he submitted this time were even taller and bigger.
We chatted to the planning guys and they said if our architect had chatted to them before, they would have told him it was not acceptable, rather than having to wait the whole 8 weeks. Its obvious now it would not be acceptable as the first one was refused. He lied his way and said the planning woman said it would be fine. A lot of time later....and a 3rd set of plans. We had a weird shaped boundary, almost like an L shape, so the architect submitted plans with the boundary straightened between us...so the developer gains in the back and we gained in the front...a simple land swap they said.
The new plans were approved. Then the developer for some reason thought he was going to build our house, he already registered our house with NHBC without any discussion. He then said he would build our house first and then build theirs afterwards...which obviously rang alarm bells in our ehad that they wanted to build their house at our expense. His final quote was £250,000 more than all the other builders, so we found another good home builder and went with them instead. When we did this...the developer went and put boarding up on the old L shaped boundary so we could not build, as the house had to be a metre from boundary, so we had to put in for planning again to have the house position moved.
for all this initial crap, we forked out a ridiculous £14,000 to the architect.
Now a year on after we have built our house, he has sent what seems to be fake manufactured invoices for another £12,000 with no proper break downs. We have confronted him on this and many other issues that have arisen in the past, on how he has colluded with the developer to do us over. How can such simple cad drawings of moving the breakfast room slightly and position changes come up to a ridiculous sum.
He is now stating that if not paid in full he holds all the copyrights to the design of our house and will send debt collectors. Bare in mind we have no contract with this guy and no agreed sums.
I have a meeting with him tomorrow as he said he wants to come and see me...anything I could say in defense probably? or any ideas?
soz for the essay
No contract, no money. Also may be worth putting everything in writing to him, and then sending details to RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects), as they may be interested.
Sounds in all honesty like you have been a little 'green' and left yourself wide open, and the guys trying it on. Live and learn.
As for how to move on, find yourself an architect who comes recommended, get a few ideas drawn up based on requirements you put forward (these should only be a few hundred quid each), speak to council with regards to these to see thier thoughts, and then progress on this basis.
Sounds in all honesty like you have been a little 'green' and left yourself wide open, and the guys trying it on. Live and learn.
As for how to move on, find yourself an architect who comes recommended, get a few ideas drawn up based on requirements you put forward (these should only be a few hundred quid each), speak to council with regards to these to see thier thoughts, and then progress on this basis.
Hobo said:
No contract, no money.
Except that you don't need a written contract for it to be legally binding. Of course proving the existence or otherwise of verbal contracts can get very messy, but don't believe you can just walk away from a verbal agreement without paying, with no risk of comebacks.
VEX said:
As said, put everything in writing and copy his trade body which should be the RIBA.
Ahem... we are professionals, not tradesmen, hence the RIBA is our professional body. 
The advice is good, though - if you genuinely think you've been treated unprofessionally, then the RIBA can arbitrate (and can potentially strike off the architect in question, if he is proved to have acted disreputably).
Provided, of course, that he actually was a Chartered Architect, not an Architectural Technologist or similar... the title of Architect is protected and should only be used by those with appropriate qualifications and registration with the RIBA/ARB.
Link HERE may be useful.
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