Free Architect Credit Note Template
Issue credit notes for architectural fee adjustments, project scope reductions, and cancelled planning services. Free PDF.
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About Architect credit notes
Architects issue credit notes when a project is paused or cancelled after a RIBA stage fee has been paid, when the scope is reduced and the fee needs to be adjusted downward, or when a client overpays on a stage payment and the surplus needs to be documented. These are formal adjustments that need proper records.
The credit note references the stage and invoice it corrects, lists the amounts being reversed, and becomes part of the project financial file. Clients, particularly developers and contractors, expect formal credit notes that match their own accounts payable processes.
When to issue a credit note
Issue a credit note when a client decides not to proceed past the Concept Design stage after paying for Technical Design. Use one when a planning application is withdrawn before submission and you return the unbilled portion of the planning fee. It also applies when a project brief is reduced in floor area and the fee, which was calculated as a percentage of build cost, needs to be revised downward.
Frequently asked questions
A developer cancelled after Stage 2 but I had already completed Stage 3 work. How do I handle the credit note?
Issue a credit note only for the work you are returning. If you kept your Stage 3 fee because the work was done, no credit is needed for that stage. If you agreed to return a portion as a goodwill gesture or because the stage was not fully complete, issue a credit note for exactly that amount with a clear description.
My fee is percentage-based and the build cost estimate changed. Do I need a credit note or just a revised invoice?
If you already invoiced at the higher amount and the client paid it, issue a credit note for the difference. If the invoice has not yet been paid, a revised invoice is simpler. A credit note is the correct document whenever money has already changed hands and the amount needs to be corrected.
Should credit notes include disbursements separately from professional fees?
Yes, follow the same structure as your original invoice. If you originally listed disbursements as separate line items, credit them separately. This makes it easy for the client's accounts team to match the credit note against the original invoice line by line.