Inv Committee 04 November 2021

Friday, 10 December 2021 | sacap-general-news

                                                         

The Investigating Committee held a virtual meeting on 04 November 2021 and considered 27 complaints of improper conduct. Below is the number of complaints received according to the category of registration:                                       complaints per professional category of registration 1 Professional Architect 2 2 Professional Senior Architectural Technologist 2 3 Professional Architectural Technologist 6 4 Professional Architectural Draughtsperson 12 5 Candidate Architect 1 6 Candidate Architectural Technologist 1 7 Candidate Architectural draughtsperson 3

The nature of the complaints assessed by the Investigating Committee are as follows:

v  Undertook to perform architectural work without a written agreement setting all the requirements in Rule 4.1 (a) – (i) of the Code of Conduct.

v  Entering into a professional relationship or association with a person who is not a registered person or a registered person of a closely allied profession without the permission of Council.

v  Failure to attend to the referrals from the local authority within a reasonable time.

v  Failure to attend to the amendments on the drawings as requested by the local authority. 

v  Failure to submit drawings to the local authority for approval.

v  Failure to perform as per the appointment by the client.

v  Failure to notify the Council within 30 days of establishing an architectural practice.

v  Failure to perform architectural work for a client within a reasonable time.

v  Failure to inform the client in writing about the progress of work undertaken on their behalf within a reasonable time.

v  Failure to promote services in a truthful and responsible manner.

v  Failure to adequately communicate with the client regarding architectural work undertaken.

v  Performing architectural work for the public during the period the registration is suspended/cancelled.

v  Failure to perform architectural work under the direction, control and/or continual supervision of a registered professional entitled to perform such work and who must assume responsibility for any such work performed by the candidate.

v  Failure to ensure that the letterhead of the practice displays the names of principals, registration numbers and category of registration of principals.

v  Failure to regularly undertake continuing professional development activities in order to ensure that they keep up to date with developments in the practice of architecture and to enhance and maintain their professional expertise and competence.

v  Unauthorised use of a registered principal’s registration number to submit applications to the local authority for approval.

v  Recommended to the client to commence with the erection of a building without the approval of the local authority.

v  The practice name is not determined by the most senior category of registered professionals in the practice

 

In a world of consumer rights and myriad of social media platforms, consumers have more of a voice that ever before. Thus, the SACAP Investigating Committee would like to encourage all registered persons to comply with the Code of Conduct when undertaking architectural work to build trust and good reputation with clients/consumers and all stakeholders involved in a project.