This module provides a brief history of the changes in law on inspection. It looks at examples of identifying defects and practical site experience. The module also looks at how the appointment and contract are fundamental to the role of inspection. The learning outcomes will be advancement of legal, statutory and regulatory compliance. Inspection is an important part of the duty of an architect. However, the history of the law of inspection for architects has not been clear and straightforward for architects. Contrary to what some clients believe, architects do not “supervise” the works, however, the duty of inspecting site has historically been one of supervision and not of inspection. For many years the contractual undertaking was supervision, although after the major revision of the RIBA Standard form in the 1970s, inspection became the architect’s express contractual undertaking and supervision was removed. On the 5th April 1988, the architect Francis Goodall gave a paper to the Society of Construction Law entitled “Supervision; an Architect’s View”. Goodall argued that architecture and supervision are not “like a horse and carriage” but instead are like a “like a pair of alien horses, of entirely different colours. You can indeed have one without the other; and if I had my way, you would.” Anthony Lavers in his paper to the Society of Construction Law in 1994 entitled ‘The Architect’s Responsibility for Inspection or Supervision’ argued that the change from supervision to inspection was the “great debate that never was, or the dog that did not bark in the night”. In the recent 2019, “Wonky Cinema” case, the judge re-defined a number of principles of the law on inspection and stated that an architect’s obligation to inspect works will depend on various factors including the terms of the retainer, the nature of the works and his confidence in the contractor. Matthew Cousins Matthew is a RIBA chartered architect and expert witness at Sense Studio in London. He has wide ranging experience as an architect in practice. Matthew is a visiting lecturer at Westminster University and a Professional Studies Advisor at the University of Cambridge. Matthew is a RIBA expert member in the RIBA Regulations and Standards Advisory Group and is the author of the Architect’s Legal Pocketbook. This module was recorded in November 2020 and is available to view on demand.Two ways to book on demand Core CPD topics On demand Core CPD Club Ticket: one single booking for all 10 topics Pay-as-you-go: purchase webinars individually in our Learning Programme Please note that there are no live interactions as part of this series. RIBA Chartered Members are eligible to use their £200 voucher code for this course. For more information, please refer to our step-by-step instructions, terms and conditions and FAQs. This course contains specific references to UK regulations/legislation. Please view the Terms and Conditions for more information. For more information on this course, or if there are no places available, please email us, or call +44 (0)20 7307 5355 to talk to a member of the team.Core CurriculumLegal, regulatory and statutory compliance
