The Architects Registration Board (ARB) has taken enforcement action against Mr Michael Hooper, trading as Mike Hooper Architects, after he continued to use the title ‘architect’ despite not being registered.
On 10 September 2026, Plymouth Magistrates’ Court found Mr Hooper guilty of misusing the title in breach of sections 20 and 21 of the Architects Act. He was fined £2,200 and ordered to pay approximately £9,000 in legal costs.
Mr Hooper was erased from the Architects Register following a Professional Conduct Committee hearing in February 2025. A subsequent ARB investigation found that the title ‘architect’ continued to be used across his website, LinkedIn profile and a number of third-party online directories.
ARB seeks to resolve concerns about misuse of the title quickly and proportionately wherever possible. In this case, ARB first contacted Mr Hooper in May 2025 and gave him the opportunity to correct the position. Although some changes were made, the misuse had not been fully addressed by August 2025, and ARB therefore issued a court summons.
In reaching its decision, the Court found that Mr Hooper was culpable and that the ongoing breach of the Architects Act caused harm to both the public and ARB in its role as the statutory regulator of architects in the UK.
Helen Ransome, Director of Professional Standards, ARB, said:
“Most concerns about misuse of the title ‘architect’ can be resolved without court action. Our approach is to explain the legal requirements, give people a reasonable opportunity to put matters right, and take further action where that does not happen.
In this case, the title continued to be used despite repeated engagement, so prosecution was appropriate. We will continue to use our powers proportionately and focus our regulatory action where it can make the greatest contribution to public protection.”
Further information about how ARB approaches concerns about misuse of the title ‘architect’, including its proportionate approach to enforcement, is available on our Title Protection Policy page.
ENDS
Contact
Finn Tobin, Communications Manager, finnt@arb.org.uk
Katie Crabb, Head of Communications, katiec@arb.org.uk
Notes to editors
The Architects Registration Board (ARB) is an independent professional regulator, established by Parliament as a statutory body, through the Architects Act, in 1997. We are accountable to government. The law gives ARB a number of core functions:
To ensure only those who are suitably competent are allowed to practise as architects. We do this by approving the architecture qualifications required to join the Register of Architects. To maintain a publicly available Register of architects so anyone using the services of an architect can be confident that they are suitably qualified and are fit to practise. To set the standards of conduct and practice the profession must meet and take action when any architect falls below the required standards of conduct or competence. To set requirements for and monitor the continuous professional development that architects must undertake, to provide assurance to the public about the continuing competence of the profession. To protect the legally restricted title of ‘architect’.For more information, please contact media@arb.org.uk
The post ARB takes action over continued misuse of title ‘architect’ appeared first on Architects Registration Board.
https://arb.org.uk/arb-takes-action-over-continued-misuse-of-title-architect/
seen at 14:37, 17 September in Architects Registration Board.