Searching for an architect should mean finding an architect

23/08/23

RSUA wants to ensure that when a member of the public is looking for an architect in Northern Ireland that search engines are directing them to real architects and not to people or businesses who are not architects.

Our aim is to protect the public and uphold the good name of architects.

Two common problems we have identified are:

1. Some non-architect businesses are actively using the term ‘architect’ in behind-the-scenes website content and search engine profiles. This is then picked up by search engines when a person searches for an architect.

2. Some online directories are incorrectly categorising businesses as architects when they are not. At times this may be happening without the knowledge of the business that is listed.

RSUA has often reported these sorts of problems to the Architects Registration Board (ARB) in the past on an ad hoc basis. However, since March 2023, we have formalised our approach by pro-actively finding potential misuse and creating case files for review by ARB.

Case 1

The first example of the new approach is shown below.  

On its website the company does not hold itself out as an architect’s practice and there is no record on the ARB register of any architect connected to the practice.

However, on 30 March 2023:

1. The company’s google summary blurb began with ‘Architects Near Me’
2. Sponsored content on google promoted the company as architect
3. The company’s Google Profile stated Architect in [location]
4. The company was listed by Yell under ‘Architects’ in [location]
5. The company was listed by the 4NI.co.uk directory under Architect
6. The company Yelp directory page has been claimed by the business owner and is categorised as Architects

This case file was presented to ARB.

As a result, ARB wrote to the company and action has now been taken to remedy the first three issues. Issues 4 to 6 relating to online directories are more difficult to resolve but we will continue to work on this. RSUA has directly contacted Yell as the most well-known listing company of the three.

Before and After Photos

Ongoing work – role for members

RSUA has two other case files live with ARB currently. We will report on these in due course.

If you spot examples of misuse of title, please email Curtis Large, RSUA Policy and Public Affairs Officer, at curtis@rsua.org.uk.