My architect has stopped responding.....

isotonic_uk

Hi members

I’m looking for some advice on how to deal with an architect who has effectively stopped communicating with me, despite being paid in full for the work.

I hired an architect (registered RIBA and ARB) to handle a project that included a ground‑floor rear extension and a side/double‑storey extension. They were two separate applications on advice from Architect. The side/double‑storey part has already been approved by the council.
The ground‑floor element was rejected because it didn’t meet the “larger home extension” rules as a result the architect requested an additional payment to update and resubmit the rear extension design, which I paid immediately. Payment was made in Dec25 and an initial plan was designed by the architect which we were not happy with so we redid the plan with our illustration to explain what we wanted, making our reasons clear and responded with an email end of January26 with a follow up to discuss further about our proposal and if he saw any issues with it. Till this point back and forth communication was good.

Since that email though late Jan, communication has completely broken down. I tried every normal channel — calls, texts, emails — and received no response for approx. 6 weeks in total. Left it a bit thinking there might be a family emergency or tragedy. Eventually, after not receiving any follow up and all the chases done, out of frustration, wife and I went to his house to check firstly if he was okay last weekend. He told me he’d just been “busy” and claimed he had called me, but I can prove no calls were made. He was obviously quite taken aback to see us!

To make things worse, I asked a friend of mine to email him as a test with a fictitious enquiry about plans for another property. The architect replied to him within the next day and even left two voicemails! Meanwhile, I still haven’t heard anything back regarding my actual project.

I am at my wits end, we told the architect verbally right at the start of the project that we trying to push for the building works this year but that looks in Jeopardy already. At this point I am thinking of speaking to other architects we had originally shortlisted but were not successful to have an initial chat and potentially fix and resubmit the ground‑floor plans, but I’m unsure what my options are regarding the money already paid and the lack of service.

Has anyone dealt with something similar? What are the realistic next steps — formal complaint, small claims, or just cut losses and move on? The money isn't the issue but out of principal it's the time its taken for even get a response. Am I also being unreasonable? Is 6 weeks enough time to not expect any correspondence back? I personally don't think it is and speaking to others its pretty unprofessional. If he wasn't happy about something or felt something was out of scope, he could have explained this over an email or call but I have had nothing around this.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated as I felt we so close to getting this over the line but this experience has left a sour taste and I don't want to work with him anymore.

Guna

Do you have a contract with him? Check if anything is stated there regarding project timelines.

If he is registered, you can log a complaint with their professional body. Might be worth reading through their code of conduct to see if anything is mentioned regarding communications specifically.

isotonic_uk

No I dont think there is a contract but according to the ARB code of conduct 5.4 -

The-Architects-Code-of-Conduct-and-Practice.pdf

Communicate to their clients, in a timely manner, any issues that may impact the cost, time or quality of a project

Should mention whilst his quotation was very detailed, there's no mention of a T&Cs, the only reference in the quote was and I quote
" This Appointment is to be in line with the ‘Architect Services – Small Works’ Conditions’ to be issued separately."
As far as I know, I never received these conditions.

Also as I paid by my bank account, I am looking to applying a chargeback for fail of service delivered. I have a good timeline with evidence but I am aware before I do this I probably need to send him one final notice giving him 14 days to respond which I have instigated yet.

Guna

Might be worth a call to CAB as well just to make sure you are doing all you need to do legally before taking it further. Does ARB have any advice on complaints in terms of what steps you need to take before you can report to them?