Two landlords have been fined nearly £100,000 after a man died in a fire caused by an ebike battery at a grossly overcrowded flat in east London. Sofina Begum, 52, and Aminur Rahman, 55, pleaded guilty to nine housing law breaches at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday.
The fire broke out at Maddocks House in Shadwell on 5 March 2023, killing 41-year-old Mizanur Rahman, a father of two. The London Fire Brigade said the blaze was started accidentally by a faulty ebike battery that was charging at the time. Other residents escaped unharmed.
The two-bedroom flat was licensed for three people but housed up to 23 tenants. Nine bunk beds were found, with some residents sleeping on the floor. The judge, Recorder Emma Smith, said the landlords showed a 'blatant disregard for the law and for the occupants.'
Begum received a confiscation order of £78,049, a fine of £10,000, and £2,000 in prosecution costs. Rahman was fined £2,000 with a confiscation order of £1.01. The court heard the couple had no other assets besides the property, valued at £155,000.
Tenants paid £90-£100 per week in cash, with the couple earning about £40,000 over six months. Residents reported sharing a single toilet and enduring bedbugs, mould, and dirt. One described the flat as 'like a prison.'
An inquest in August 2023 found Mizanur Rahman died from heat and smoke inhalation. The coroner urged stricter regulations on ebike batteries, which were linked to 11 deaths in the UK in 2023. Twelve survivors have launched legal action against the landlords and the battery manufacturer.
