Why I have decided to remove my name from the ARB’s register
In December 2025, I (Alex Griffin) decided to remove my name from the ARB’s register of architects as a protest against the ARB.
I wish to draw attention to the ineffectiveness of the current regulatory system for UK architects, which only protects the legally restricted title ‘architect’ and provides no oversight of the competence of those who undertake architectural services or activities. It therefore allows anybody to carry out the work of an architect, as long as they don’t call themselves one. This does nothing to ensure quality or safety and places an unnecessary financial burden on the profession with little demonstrable public benefit.
I support the RIBA’s campaign to establish a new regulatory model for UK architects based on reserved activities. This focuses on three key steps:
- Repealing the Architects Act
- Introducing new legislation defining reserved activities, which the RIBA define as submitting full planning applications, building control applications, and final compliance certificates, and who can carry them out
- Establishing a Built Environment Council to oversee the competence requirements of construction industry professional bodies, who would assess the competence of individuals, who would then be included as chartered members, with the ability to undertake the reserved functions named above
My status as a RIBA Chartered Member is unchanged, as I hold RIBA qualifications Parts 1, 2 and 3.