Private landlords convicted following fatal house fire caused by faulty e-bike battery

Tuesday, March 25th, 2025 - Tower Hamlets Council

Two private landlords have been ordered to pay over £90,000 for renting out their two-bedroom flat to as many as 23 people.

Tower Hamlets Council prosecuted Sofina Begum, 52, and Aminur Rahman, 55, who owned the fourth-floor flat in Maddocks House. The property was licensed for three people from two households.

The landlords pleaded guilty to nine charges brought under the Housing Act 2004 including allowing the property to become overcrowded, failing to comply with licensing conditions, not conducting required inspections, lacking a valid gas safety certificate, and failing to provide the council with requested documentation.

Tenant Mizanur Rahman, 41, died in a fire at the flat in Shadwell on 5 March 2023. The fire was caused by a faulty lithium-ion e-bike battery which was on charge. 

The pair were sentenced on 6 February 2025 at Snaresbrook Crown Court following their convictions in November 2023 before Thames Magistrates’ Court.

At the sentencing hearing, the council successfully obtained a confiscation order which is a court order to recover money made from illegal activities.

Sofina Begum was ordered to pay a fine of £10,000 and £2,000 in prosecution costs as well as the victim surcharge of £2,000. She was also ordered to pay a confiscation order of £78,049.

Aminur Rahman was ordered to pay a fine of £2,000 and the victim surcharge of £800 as well as a confiscation order of £1.01.

The Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, said:

“It is completely unacceptable that some landlords continue to exploit tenants by allowing overcrowding, flouting essential safety regulations, and putting people’s lives at risk.

“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of Mizanur Rahman, who tragically lost his life in the fire, caused by a faulty e-bike battery, at Maddocks House, and with all those affected by this devastating incident.

“We are clamping down on rogue landlords who operate in our borough. We pursued this prosecution and the court’s decision sends a clear message: we will not tolerate criminal landlords who endanger lives for profit. We will continue to do everything we can to ensure such cases are brought to justice in order to protect our community and we urge all local authorities to do the same.

“National action is urgently needed and we welcome the Government’s announcement that it will set out new measures to help protect renters across the country.“

Tower Hamlets Council has made it a priority to clamp down on rogue landlords operating in the borough.

In October 2023, Cabinet approved plans to renew an additional licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation, and extend it to previously excluded areas, including Weavers, Whitechapel, and Spitalfields and Banglatown. These new rules came into force on 1 April 2024 for five years.

The council has also helped 299 renters, who were living in unlicensed properties, claim back £1,416,344 in rent repayment orders (RRO).

Following the fire, Tower Hamlets Council and the London Fire Brigade launched their #ChargeSafe campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of e-bike and e-scooter batteries.Since the campaign launched in September, the council has found and destroyed 91 imported and unsafe lithium batteries in local shops.

Our free guide containing more information about property licensing and HMO planning restrictions in Tower Hamlets is available here.

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