The ARB’s Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) has removed Glen Eldridge of Glen Eldridge Architects from the Architects Register for failing to pay clients fees
Two clients separately appointed Glen Eldridge to provide architectural services on their projects. In the course of his work, Eldridge asked both clients for money for planning application fees and asked one client for money for a structural engineer’s fee.
Following his failure to pay these fees to the relevant parties, or deal with their complaints, both clients raised concerns with ARB.
The hearing
Glen Eldridge did not attend the hearing nor was he legally represented. In his absence, the PCC took the allegations and all its particulars to be denied. It heard live evidence from his two former clients, which it found to be both credible and consistent.
The PCC found all but one of the facts proven. Eldridge had not provided any details of insurance, but the PCC considered this fell within the charge of failing to provide details and of failing to cooperate with the regulator rather than having no insurance. The PCC considered the failings individually and collectively to be serious and concluded that they amounted to unacceptable professional conduct.
When considering sanction, the PCC noted Eldridge’s previously good disciplinary history, and that he had been experiencing serious difficulties in his personal life.
However, it also considered that his misappropriation of client money, his dishonesty, subsequent lack of apology and failure to reimburse his clients or co-operate with his regulator demonstrated that he was not a fit person to remain on the Register.
The decision
The PCC decided that the protection of the public and the reputation of the profession required that Eldridge’s name should be erased from the Architects Register, following a finding of unacceptable professional conduct.
When issuing the sanction of erasure from the register, the PCC must make a recommendation on the length of time that must pass before an architect can seek to re-join the Register, the minimum being two years.
Due to the severity of Eldridge’s offences and the dishonesty he displayed, the PCC recommended that no such application should be considered for 10 years.
It was alleged that Glen Eldridge:
- Did not pay planning application fees (having asked for and been paid those fees by his clients)
- Failed to carry out work without undue delay
- Did not keep his clients informed about the progress of the work
- Did not deal with complaints about his professional work appropriately
- Acted dishonestly and without integrity in that he knowingly used client money to pay a third party and/or personal debt, despite informing the client that their funds had been submitted to the Council on their behalf
- Did not cooperate fully and promptly with the regulator
- Did not report the liquidation of his company to the regulator
- Did not hold adequate and appropriate insurance and did not provide evidence of that insurance to the regulator
- Acted dishonestly and without integrity in that he accepted funds from the complainant for work which was not undertaken
- Acted dishonestly and without integrity in that he knowingly used client money to pay a third party and/or personal debt.
