Can a consultant to the architect file a preliminary notice to a property owner with whom they have no written contract?

There are two potential liens a design professional may have a right to. 

The first is a design professional lien which would apply before construction begins. A registered professional engineer, licensed land surveyor, or certified architect who furnishes services under a written contract with the owner for planning, engineering, or design of a work of improvement has a right to a design professional lien (with the exception of single-family, owner-occupied homes with construction costs of less than $100,000 in value.) A design professional lien can be converted to a mechanics lien once work begins. If work never begins, the eligible design professional may proceed to enforce the design professional lien. 

The second is mechanics lien which would apply after construction begins. With respect to a mechanics lien, while preliminary notice must be timely served, there is no requirement that the design professional have a written contract with the owner. So provided that the project actually moves forward, the preliminary notice served should provide the consultant with lien rights should the consultant not be paid. 

That is fair with the caveat that the preliminary notice they have served will permit them lien rights once construction begins. So it does serve a purpose even if it is early.