Member reprimanded over grounds of appeal submission errors

Planning, 20 June 2008

Helen Fadipe submitted grounds of appeal in respect of an enforcement notice that contained a number of factual errors. As a result, the grounds of appeal were incorrect and misleading. The errors resulted from an administrative oversight, measurements taken, reliance on facts supplied by the client and the fact that the member was out of the country when the document was submitted. The panel noted that some of the errors had been repeated from an earlier submission of the appeal documents and felt that one such error was material to the appeal. The panel also considered that the member had retained overall control of the matter and was therefore personally responsible for the submission of the documents. The member was found to be in breach of code (a), (c), and bylaw 7(2), insofar as she failed to act with competence, thus bringing the profession into disrepute, and failed to discharge her duty to her client and members of the public with due care and diligence. As a result, the panel agreed that the member shall be reprimanded and named in the published report.

For more information about the code of professional conduct, please email sandra.whitehead@rtpi.org.uk.