Complaints Procedure

Complaints procedure:

Gilberts' complaints procedure is referred to in the Terms of Employment issued with the fee proposal for each project. A copy of this procedure is also available on request.

We aim to deal with complaints promptly, courteously and fairly. On receiving a complaint, we will aim to provide an acknowledgement within five working days and either a full response or substantive update within 20 working days.

Clients with concerns or complaints relating to their project should, in the first instance, write to the lead architect for the project, providing details of the complaint and, where possible, the outcome they are seeking. The lead architect will investigate the matter and endeavour to address and resolve the concerns through correspondence and/or meetings as appropriate.

If the lead architect's response does not resolve the complaint satisfactorily, the client may ask for the matter to be referred to a director of the practice who has not been directly involved in the project or the matters complained about. That director will investigate the complaint independently and will aim to resolve the matter promptly through correspondence and/or meetings as appropriate. At the conclusion of this process, a written response will be issued to the complainant.

Gilberts will keep appropriate records of the complaint, the investigation undertaken, communications and the outcome.

Where appropriate, the parties may consider alternative dispute resolution, including mediation or arbitration, to seek to resolve an unresolved dispute.

If a complaint remains unresolved, and it relates to the conduct or competence of an architect, the complainant may refer the matter to the Architects Registration Board (ARB). ARB is the statutory regulator of architects in the UK and has its own criteria and procedures for dealing with complaints. ARB may investigate matters within its regulatory remit but cannot determine ordinary contractual or fee disputes or award compensation.

Further information and the current procedure for making a complaint to ARB are available from the Architects Registration Board:

Architects Registration Board, 5th Floor, 70 Gray's Inn Road, London. WC1X 8NH

T: 020 7580 5861