For immediate release:  29 January, 2015.

Failure to check the credentials of an “architect” has proven costly for a West Mildands developer.

Daldar Singh Sandhu is more than £20,000 out of pocket due to planning mistakes made by a company wrongly advertising themselves as an architect.

Work began on a development of apartments in Hockley, Birmingham around three years ago.

While the development has been built, Mr Singh Sandhu has been unable to complete it due to a series of planning issues.

“It has cost me over £20,000 more than it should have done so far and we are still solving planning matters around the building’s facade,” said Mr Singh Sandhu.

“At one point, I could have been told to pull the building down and that would have been devastating as I have ploughed my life savings into the project.”

Mr Singh Sandhu was the unwitting victim of a company using the word “architects” in its name. What he didn’t know was that the company had no legal right to use the title.

A complaint to the Architects Registration Board (ARB) resulted in the business owner being fined a total of £3,500 after being found guilty of using the title architect in breach of the Architects Act 1997.

The defendant was also ordered to pay ARB £4,800 in costs at the hearing before Birmingham Magistrates Court in October 2012.

Mr Singh Sandhu has now turned to Stafford based Croft Architecture to solve their planning problems.

Chartered Architect Carl Croft said: “The ARB is a statutory body established by Parliament. Companies can only call themselves an architects’ practice if they are headed by a registered architect.

“While anyone can work on building designs, we would always recommend that home and building owners use a registered architect for building projects.

“Property is generally by far the most important and expensive thing that someone will own. We have to ask, why you would take the risk of failing to use a registered architect when drawing up development plans?

Carl is one of three fully qualified Chartered Architects among the team at Croft Architecture which has offices at the Staffordshire Technology Park, Stafford. Croft Architecture is also a RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Chartered Practice, which ensures that further standards of performance are met.

“We are delighted to have been able to help Mr Singh Sandhu to ensure the correct planning permissions and Building Regulations are in place to allow him to finish his development.”

Ends

For media enquiries contact Nigel Howle by telephone on 07762043436, email [email protected]

Carl Croft founded Croft Architecture in 2009 having previously worked for two prominent architecture firms in North Staffordshire. Croft Architecture is based at Anson Court, Staffordshire Technology Park, Stafford. The practice undertakes commercial and residential work. Projects include school extensions and NHS hospital developments in Staffordshire, a new lecture theatre and lobby area for the Keele University Observatory and a tea room at Belper River Gardens.​