Were You a victim of Grant?

[JJ]

The City Concil have just granted permission for the conversion of the AdelaideRoad property to apartments.
JJ

[JPD]

Thanks for that JJ, lets hope that they get converted quickly and that the property isn't left in its unsightly state.

[Lotts]

I notice that Mr Grant has a current application in for retention of an extension built without permission to his business address at 61 Haddington Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

Planning Application Reference: 3072/05

This application was made 27-May-2005 so there's still time for submissions from the public .

A previous application (2447/05 ) was declared invalid on the 10-May-2005.

[PVC King]

Council fails to have architect jailed

11 August 2006 15:18
Dublin City Council has failed in an attempt to have architect David Grant jailed for not complying with a High Court order.

He was ordered to effectively re-build four Georgian properties on Gardiner Street in Dublin, having carried out extensive unauthorised works on them.

Mr Grant was the subject of an RTÉ Prime Time documentary two months later. He claims his practice as an architect disappeared practically overnight as a result of the programme.

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This morning, lawyers for Dublin City Council said Mr Grant had made very little progress in raising the funds he needs to restore the buildings and comply with the order.

He intends to sell two properties - one on Adelaide Road in Dublin and a site in Kilcoole in Co Wicklow - but the court heard those properties are already the subject of a charge from the Bank of Scotland.

The council said the case had been adjourned seven times and asked the court to jail Mr Grant for his failure to comply with the order.

Mr Justice Budd said that although Mr Grant was still in defiance of the court he seemed to be making some efforts, however slow they were.

He said he would give him some 'breathing space'. He adjourned the case until 16 October, but said he wanted to see some progress as Mr Grant was running out of time.

Good to see DCC push this all the way and whilst it is dissapointing that DG thinks he can flout the law it is clear that his chances are expiring one by one

[parka]

Taken from AJ. Is he the same man???


The ARB has successfully prosecuted a man who falsely advertised his company as an architect's practice.

David Grant, head of Inspire Designs in east London, was found guilty of breaching Section 20 of the Architects Act, and was ordered to pay £1,500 in fines and costs by Stratford magistrates.

Grant did not attend the 6 September hearing, nor did he submit any mitigation in his defence.

A spokesman from the ARB’s regulation department said after the hearing: ‘Mr Grant had falsely advertised his firm under an ‘Architects’ listing in the Estates Gazette.

‘This was a blatant attempt to mislead members of the public into believing that his firm was a reputable firm of architects. Not only does this mislead consumers, it also undermines the profession’s integrity in the eyes of the public.’

The spokesman added: ‘The board remains committed to prosecuting individuals who act in such a manner.’

by Richard Vaughan

[hutton]

Any further word on this bastard? His buildings at Gardiner St Upr / Mountjoy Sq continue to be in an appalling state. Another one being run on similar lines opposite Grants at the corner at 1 Mountjoy Sq caught fire over Christmas. In media reports the buildings was referred to as a hostel - these buildings are not hostels they are slums, and more worringly that particular corner only became slums in the last few years

Enforcement DCC - or will the lucky escape at Christmas be ignored until its too late?

[PVC King]

He has just taken a referral to the Bord under reference 29SRL2411 (Whether the 2 storey rear extension is or is not development and is or is not excempted development. 61 Haddington Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. )

http://www.pleanala.ie/allnew190107.html

Was wondering myself what became of the case due for mention in October last

[PVC King]

http://www.pleanala.ie/DCT/RL2/SRL2411.DOC

[niallxxx]

I am at present a victim of D.Grant i live in kilcoole house that he owns i am at present awaiting a decision by the PRTB on this case i would appreciate it if anyone has any info on this man as i plan on taking him to court and suing him.One thing nobody here seems to realize is that the prime time program is not the first made about him sottish TV also did a special about his time as a rogue landlord ,i can provide a copy for anyone who would like to see this program ,his victims in this case were not so lucky in his fire trap slums he got run out of scotland leaving his wife and daughter behind not a pleasant man

[SirRaymondMang]

Whatever became of this guy? Did the council ever go through with the enforcements?

[niallxxx]

dublin city council are at present persuing mr grant or were, will be getting an update soon.I am still in the house that mr grant once owned it was repossessed for non payment of a loan he took out on property and yet he is still harrassing me for rent on a property he does not own and the law is letting him away with it.If anyone has any info which might help me like his present whereabouts in england please let me know thanks

[missarchi]

This thread should read where you a victim of the PTRB

[S.O.S.]

Taken from AJ. Is he the same man???


The ARB has successfully prosecuted a man who falsely advertised his company as an architect's practice.

David Grant, head of Inspire Designs in east London, was found guilty of breaching Section 20 of the Architects Act, and was ordered to pay £1,500 in fines and costs by Stratford magistrates.

Grant did not attend the 6 September hearing, nor did he submit any mitigation in his defence.

A spokesman from the ARB’s regulation department said after the hearing: ‘Mr Grant had falsely advertised his firm under an ‘Architects’ listing in the Estates Gazette.

‘This was a blatant attempt to mislead members of the public into believing that his firm was a reputable firm of architects. Not only does this mislead consumers, it also undermines the profession’s integrity in the eyes of the public.’

The spokesman added: ‘The board remains committed to prosecuting individuals who act in such a manner.’

by Richard Vaughan

If it is the same guy then he is still in business

http://www.inspiredesign.org/

Is this the guy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j57kdefx8Jo

[PVC King]

If it is the same guy then he is still in business

http://www.inspiredesign.org/

Is this the guy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j57kdefx8Jo

to inspiredesigns@btconnect.com


I would be grateful if you could confirm if you were practicing in Dublin at any point over the past ten years. I appreciate that this may seem like a strange request but I would offer that clearing up any confusion with a David Grant once based in Dublin would be entirely beneficial to your practice.



I look forward to hearing from you

[S.O.S.]

to inspiredesigns@btconnect.com


I would be grateful if you could confirm if you were practicing in Dublin at any point over the past ten years. I appreciate that this may seem like a strange request but I would offer that clearing up any confusion with a David Grant once based in Dublin would be entirely beneficial to your practice.



I look forward to hearing from you

If it is the David Grant we have been hearing about, I doubt he would say yes

[PVC King]

Got an e-mail back from the site in question stating that he had never practiced in Dublin; there is a good article in this for a journalist either tracking the guy down to a fairly unsalubrious part of the M25 connurbation or highlighting the risks of bloggers linking a common name with an entirely innocent party.

What has happened to the Gardiner Street Terrace presumably it now complies fully with the fire regs?

[wearnicehats]

Got an e-mail back from the site in question stating that he had never practiced in Dublin; there is a good article in this for a journalist either tracking the guy down to a fairly unsalubrious part of the M25 connurbation or highlighting the risks of bloggers linking a common name with an entirely innocent party.

well, either the person who emailed you is lying or a vary lazy sunday times journo took his info off this site. Half page article on this very topic on page 5 of the Sunday Times news section.

May 31, 2009

Fake architect opens design practice in UK
David Grant, who was exposed by an RTE documentary, claims to have 25 years’ experience in the industry Colin Coyle
David Grant, a businessman who falsely claimed to be an architect and who was exposed by an RTE Television documentary, is now operating an “architecture” practice in England.

Grant, who remains the subject of court proceedings with Dublin city council, is running Inspire Design in the East End of London. He is described on the company’s website as having “over 25 years’ experience in architecture, design, property development and planning applications”.

Dublin city council won a judgment against Grant earlier this year in relation to a hostel that he operates at 7-10 Upper Gardiner Street, and is awaiting a final order in relation to the case.

Grant pleaded guilty in 2007 to allowing dangerous buildings on Upper Gardiner Street to be used as a hostel for 170 people, including children. The council sought to have Grant jailed after it emerged that the Georgian building had been turned into a hostel without planning permission or a fire safety certificate.

Grant committed to selling two properties he owned in the city centre to pay for remedial works on the hostel, which still operates today under the name Celtic Inn.

Two years later he is still trying to sell both properties to fund further works at the hostel. He is seeking ¤1.195m for 7 Adelaide Road in Dublin 2, which he also operated as a hostel before it was gutted by fire in 2005. Earlier this month he secured planning consent to convert the fire-damaged building into 12 apartments.

The property’s asking price has been dropped from €2.5m since it first came on the market almost two years ago. Grant is also trying to sell his former Dublin residence, 61 Haddington Road in Ballsbridge, for ¤1.25m, reduced from €1.6m when it first came on the market two years ago.

Grant left Ireland following a Prime Time investigation, which revealed that he set himself up as an architect without formal qualifications. After attracting clients through a series of newspaper advertisements, Grant applied for planning permission for hundreds of infill homes in “corner sites” and side gardens in Dublin.

It later emerged that up to two-thirds of his applications to one council were rejected — three times more than the average. Grant claimed afterwards that his business had been “wiped out” following the broadcast of the documentary.

In 2003 Grant was ordered by a judge to pay a homeless man €250 every month to meet the cost of accommodation after he illegally evicted him from a bedsit in the building at Upper Gardiner Street that he had recently purchased. After removing the epileptic from his accommodation, Grant and construction workers demolished the bedsit.

The businessman was also previously the subject of an exposé by a Scottish newspaper. In the 1990s he operated as a landlord in Glasgow. A number of students lost deposits after Grant “rented” property to them that was already occupied.

On the website of his London business, he claims that he has been “consulted as an expert and written articles” in Irish newspapers. He failed to respond to calls or e-mails last week.

[parka]

Hopefully, he might encourage a few of the other jokers in the market to join him in the UK.

[parka]

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=426&storycode=3141800&channel=783&c=1&encCode=00000000019a2872

Fake architect prosecuted – for the second time
2 June, 2009

By Marguerite Lazell

A man who falsely called himself an architect has been fined £1,500 and ordered to pay £4,500 in costs after being pleading guilty to misusing the title architect.

It is the second time David Grant of east London-based Inspire Design has been successfully prosecuted for breaching Section 20 of the Architects Act, having been fined £200 and ordered to pay £1,300 costs at a previous hearing in September 2006, also brought by the Arb.

The latest charges brought against Grant included advertising under the "architects" listing in a telephone directory and using the title on the company's website.

Grant was found guilty of three breaches of Section 20 of the Architects Act at Stratford Magistrates' Court on May 13.

A spokesman for Arb's professional standards department said: "The level of fine and costs awarded in this case send a strong message to anyone who is fraudulently using the title architect. Arb remains committed to bringing such individuals to justice."

This weekend Grant was the subject of an article in the Sunday Times, which described how the "fake architect" had set up in London, claiming 25 years' experience, after a television documentary by RTE in Ireland revealed a catalogue of property dealings which included operating a hostel in Dublin without planning permission or a fire-safety certificate.

[SirRaymondMang]

Where are these articles he claimed to have published in the Sunday Times and Irish Independent?

[parka]

Where are these articles he claimed to have published in the Sunday Times and Irish Independent?

The articles published were about him not by him

[SirRaymondMang]

to quote his website

"Our principal: Mr. David Grant has over 25 years experience in Architecture, Design property development and planning applications, of small, medium and large scale projects. We have completed design projects in 7 countries.

He has been consulted as an expert & written articles published in "The Sunday Times" & "The Irish Independent" Newspapers."

[Smithfield Resi]

fined £200 and ordered to pay £1,300 costs

A spokesman for Arb's professional standards department said: "The level of fine and costs awarded in this case send a strong message to anyone who is fraudulently using the title architect. Arb remains committed to bringing such individuals to justice."

Are they having a laugh? £1500

http://www.arb.org.uk/registration/fees-2009.shtml

Probably works out cheaper for him in the long run...

[parka]

to quote his website

"Our principal: Mr. David Grant has over 25 years experience in Architecture, Design property development and planning applications, of small, medium and large scale projects. We have completed design projects in 7 countries.

He has been consulted as an expert & written articles published in "The Sunday Times" & "The Irish Independent" Newspapers."

Face it, his 'website' is as farcical as the man himself. Naturally he's going to hype up his profile. What annoys me is the fact that he still gets away with it and the little fines do little to prevent him making a career change. Maybe he could take up BER assessing.

Incidentally, there are few other companies I have come across that have have a team of highly qualified 'Architects and other disciplines', yet the highest qualification they possess is a certificate in building studies (if lucky).

It is quite worrying that qualifications in any profession mean so little these days.

[missarchi]

is a certificate in building studies (if lucky).
It is quite worrying that qualifications in any profession mean so little these days.

At the end of the day its just an important piece of paper...
It does not guarantee a job it does not guarantee a good service or a career...
Its called the education industry and they appear better networked than the architects...