Two landlords have been fined over £90,000 after renting out their two-bedroom flat to as many as 23 people.
Sofina Begum and Aminur Rahman were fined for breaching rules around their fourth-floor flat in Maddocks House.
This prosecution was brought forward by Tower Hamlets council after both landlords had previously pleaded guilty to nine charges under the Housing Act 2004.
These included breaches related to overcrowding, lacking safety certificates and not conducting required inspections. The property was only licensed for three people from two households.
One tenant, a 41-year-old Mizanur Rahman died in a fire at the flat in March 2023, caused by a faulty e-bike battery that was charging at the time.
Lutfur Rahman, executive mayor of Tower Hamlets, said the authority was clamping down on “rogue landlords” in the 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,” he said. “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."
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 told to pay a confiscation order of £78,049.
Meanwhile, Aminur Rahman was ordered to pay a fine of £2,000 and the victim surcharge of £800 as well as a confiscation order of £1.01p.
A victim surcharge is a statutory charge imposed when a court sentences an offender, with the funds being used to support victim services.
