Architect’s Negligence

Duncan Lewis Professional Negligence Solicitors – Architect’s Negligence Claims

Architects are often charged with turning a client’s dreams into reality – whether they are working on a residential property or a commercial premises.

An architect who is negligent can cost their client money – and suing an architect after suffering financial loss in a property development can seem like a daunting prospect.

However, architects have a duty of care to their clients – architects may be required to manage other contractors on a site, as well as ensuring that the architectural vision encapsulated in a project’s drawing and plans is carried out to a high professional standard in practice.

Architects may be managing more than one project at any time – and because of this, they may fail to manage a project adequately, resulting in poor craftsmanship on site and failings in following the architectural plans drawn up.

Errors in architectural drawings and plans can also prove costly – and failing to obtain appropriate planning permissions or comply with planning regulations can mean a project grinds to a halt, or a building may actually have to be taken down in part or completely.

It is also an architect’s job to help problem solve during the building process – and if an architect gave the wrong advice or made a decision without advising the homeowner or commercial owner and this resulted in financial loss, it might be possible to make a claim for compensation. An architect giving wrong advice or not following architectural plans might, for example, involve the use of materials of poorer quality than previously agreed with a client in a residential or commercial development, which led to financial loss.

Duncan Lewis professional negligence solicitors advise both residential and commercial clients who have been let down by an architect on how to make claims for compensation if financial loss has occurred.

Making a Claim for Architect’s Professional Negligence

Clients who suffer financial loss or other loss as a result of an architect who is negligent should first make a complaint through the architectural practices’ own complaints handling procedure (CHP).

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) also has a complaints and dispute resolution service.

Clients considering suing an architect for professional negligence have six years from the date of the event constituting negligence – or three years from the date they first realised negligence had occurred – in which to make a claim.

Because of the complexity of suing an architect – and proving that they failed in their duty of care towards a client or acted negligently in carrying out their duties – Duncan Lewis professional negligence solicitors advise clients whose architect has let them down to get in touch as soon as an issue occurs for an assessment of their case.

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of claims solicitors and has its own internal property department with access to legal experts who can advise on suing an architect for negligence. Duncan Lewis professional negligence solicitors can also instruct leading architects as expert witnesses in a case of architect’s negligence, if required.

Funding Architect’s Professional Negligence Claims

Duncan Lewis offers Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) funding to clients making professional negligence claims, with a fixed fee for the initial client meeting and assessment of the claim, so our clients know in advance what they will be paying.

If you are a homebuyer or commercial company whose architect has:

• made an error in architectural plans and drawings
• failed to follow architectural plans and drawings
• failed to spot a potential issue in a development
• gave negligent advice on architectural matters
• provided a negligent architectural service

and you suffered loss as a result, call Duncan Lewis Professional Negligence Solicitors for more information about making a compensation claim on 020 7923 4020.