FAQs for complainants

The Chartered status is bestowed by the UK Government under Royal Authority, reflecting the prestigious, independent character of the Institute and recognising the value and distinct nature of the discipline. The Institute leads and promotes Architectural Technology setting and maintaining the standards for education, practice and professionalism. To find out more about a Royal Charter please visit: privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/royal-charters/

Architectural Technology is a creative, innovative design discipline rooted in science, engineering and technology. As a design function, it relates to the anatomy and physiology of buildings and their production, performance and processes in compliance with regulatory, statutory and legal requirements.

Chartered Architectural Technologists are qualified to offer full design services and manage building projects from concept through to completion. They are the lead for the technological design of a project; forming the link between concept, innovation and realisation. They:
 

• specialise in design, underpinned by building science, engineering and technology applied to architecture, playing a pivotal or lead role in project and design management;
• hold a valued, respected and regulated professional qualification and protected designation, which is transferable and recognised across borders, whilst abiding by a set of professional standards and self-discipline in a Code of Conduct;
• apply their skills in a wide range of other areas within the built environment including innovation, research, academia, manufacturing and processing industries, housing, health and government agencies;
• work collaboratively with other professionals such as architects, surveyors and engineers and are recognised on a par with all Chartered professionals in the built environment sector; and
• design and manage all project types large and small from residential to commercial, industrial and public projects; they range from being sole practitioners to working in and running multinational and multidisciplinary practices.

student, no designation
Those studying on a programme for a career in Architectural Technology.

Associate, ACIAT
Those who have a formal qualification and working towards Chartered Membership.

affiliates, no designation
Those without a formal qualification or unrecognised international qualification and/or offering services directly to clients as principals.

Fellow, FCIAT
An acknowledgement of a Chartered Member's significant contribution to and/or excellence in Architectural Technology which complements the Chartered Architectural Technologist qualification.

Honorary Fellow, HonFCIAT
Those who have been awarded Honorary status.

A Chartered Architectural Technologist and architect are both qualified to lead projects from conception through to completion and sign and issue the necessary contracts and contract administrations forms.

The title architect cannot be used generically to describe a designer. It only applies to those individuals who are registered with the Architects Registration Board (ARB). In the same way, Chartered Architectural Technologist is a protected title and regulated by CIAT.

Chartered Architectural Technologist’s role
A creative career in design, realisation and construction of buildings, including their refurbishment, adaptation and maintenance. Considers the structure of a building, how they are constructed and how they perform, specialising in the technical design and realisation process.

Architect's role
A creative career in design, realisation and construction of buildings, including their refurbishment, adaptation and maintenance. Considers the aesthetics, form and place of a building.

You can check whether your designer is a member by using check a member or an affiliate. If you only have a practice name then you can check via Find a CIAT Chartered Practice, which are Chartered Members on the Directory of CIAT Chartered Practices.

If your designer is making reference to the Institute or holding themselves out to be a member, affiliate, or associated with CIAT, then you should contact [email protected] with the evidence for investigation.

Yes.

If they are not a member or affiliate, you may wish to look at other avenues such as mediation, arbitration or adjudication. All of these methods would require agreement by both parties. You may consider using the Dispute Resolution Scheme, run independently by the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), cedr.com/solve/dispute-resolution-services/.

You can contact your local Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Trading Standards Office or seek legal advice.

Anybody can make a complaint if you consider that they have acted unprofessionally. These could include, for example, a client, employee, employer, fellow member or any third party.

You could consider other avenues such as mediation, arbitration or adjudication. All of these methods would require agreement by both parties. You may consider using the Dispute Resolution Scheme, run independently by the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), cedr.com/solve/dispute-resolution-services/.

You can contact your local Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Trading Standards Office or seek legal advice.

No. CIAT has no authority to award costs or enforce the member to rectify any wrongdoings. If you are seeking financial redress or mediation you need to consider other avenues for a solution, either in addition to, or instead of, a complaint against the member through our complaints’ procedure.

You can make a complaint by using our complaint procedures which can be found here.

No. CIAT does not charge any fees for administering a complaint that has been raised against a member or affiliate.

The Code of Conduct is a set of principles that must be adhered to by a member or affiliate.

The Code of Conduct used will be the one in force at the time of the alleged breach. If the alleged breach spans more than one Code, the Code of Conduct in force at the time of the alleged breach will apply.

The Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures is a document which outlines the formal process of making a complaint against a member or affiliate.

The disciplinary sanctions that the Institute can impose are:
 

• A reprimand
• Exclusion
• Expulsion

These sanctions are public and reported on this website and in AT Journal.

Yes. The form is required for processing your complaint and ensures that we collect the necessary information and evidence. It must be returned signed and dated. Find it here.

CIAT must remain impartial at all times with both parties. The Practice Department is available to guide both parties through the process and assist with any queries, they can be contacted by emailing [email protected].

On receipt of a complaint, it is checked by the Practice Department and then sent to the member or affiliate for answer. Following the 28-day timeframe to respond (35 days if overseas), the member's or affiliate's response will be sent to you for your final comment. These three stages are then collated into one set of papers and sent to the Honorary Secretary and Chief Executive to evaluate whether any further clarification or information is required by either party. You will be kept advised throughout the process.

Your papers, now known as ‘the case’, will be submitted to the Conduct Committee to determine at a Conduct Review whether the member or affiliate has a case to answer, in relation to any of the clauses from the Code which have been raised against them.

The flowchart diagram detailing the stages for a complaint can be viewed here.

If there is a case to answer against the alleged breaches of the Code, a Conduct Hearing will be scheduled and you will be provided with the details, along with a request for any additional information required. If there is no case to answer against the alleged breaches of the Code, the case is closed and you will be notified in writing. On occasion, the Conduct Committee may adjourn the Conduct Review to seek further clarification or information and you will be advised of this in writing.

Yes. A complainant can attend as a witness and you must notify us of this intention in writing. The member or affiliate can also attend the Conduct Hearing.

If the Conduct Committee determines that there is no case to answer, the case is closed by the Institute and there is no further action that CIAT will take.

If there has been a case to answer and if you do not agree with the decision or decisions following the Hearing, you may submit an application to appeal against these. The process is run by Construction Industry Council (CIC), and is independent of CIAT. Further information on this process can be found here. This includes the grounds you must demonstrate for an appeal to be considered. In this instance, the member/affiliate also has the right to submit an application to appeal if they disagree with the decision or decisions made by the Conduct Committee.

There is no time limit to raising a complaint against a member or affiliate. You will need to use the Code of Conduct in force at that time of the alleged breach. Click here to access the previous versions of the Code.

The evidence that you provide must be relevant and in context to your complaint. It is recommended that a sequence of events, outlined as a timeline, is forwarded with the evidence.

You must submit ten identical copies because CIAT cannot be responsible for any potential omissions. It is important that all information sent to those considering the allegations (ten parties in total) are in receipt of exactly the same information and the onus is on you to supply the evidence that will be used.

Yes. It needs to be in hard copy within the evidence you submit and be relevant and in context to your complaint.

Yes. CIAT’s process is independent and relates to alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct and the member’s professional behaviour. As this process considers professional behaviour, there is no guarantee that the Conduct Committee may find a breach even if you have been successful in court.

The complaints process requires you to provide information regarding any relevant legal action that has been taken. If legal action is currently ongoing the processing of the complaint may be deferred until the conclusion of the legal process.

Yes. Even though our process is not a legal proceeding and is independent of any other action that you may decide to take, there is nothing to stop you using the Conduct Committee’s decision or findings to assist you in any other procedure.