Fehim Ahmet: Prevention of Future Deaths Report
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Date of report: 11/12/2024
Ref: 2024-0683
Deceased name: Fehim Ahmet
Coroners name: Mary Hassell
Coroners Area: Inner North London
Category: Other related deaths
This report is being sent to: National Trading Standards | Network Agencies Estate Agents
| Regulation 28: Prevention of Future Deaths report | |
|---|---|
| THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: 1. National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team 1 Sylvan Court Sylvan Way Southfields Business Park Basildon SS15 6TH 2. Network Agencies Estate Agents 209 Seven Sisters Road Finsbury Park London N4 3NG | |
| 1 | CORONER I am: Coroner ME Hassell Senior Coroner Inner North London St Pancras Coroner’s Court Camley Street London N1C 4PP |
| 2 | CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS I make this report under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, paragraph 7, Schedule 5, and The Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013, regulations 28 and 29. |
| 3 | INVESTIGATION and INQUEST On 29 July 2024, one of my assistant coroners, Melanie Lee, commenced an investigation into the death of Fehim Ahmet aged 81 years. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 19 November 2024. I do apologise for the lateness of this report. The medical cause of death was: 1a traumatic brain injury 2 traumatic cervical spine injury, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with cor pulmonale |
| 4 | CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH Whilst sitting in a social club/café a little after 7.30pm on 7 July 2024, Mr Ahmet was hit by a man falling through the skylight above. He died a fortnight later from the injuries sustained. The man had gone out onto the flat roof of the café via a window from the flat above and had sat on a plastic skylight, which had then given way. The man was in the property having gone round to the flat to see friends who were brand new tenants. They had rented the property from Network Agencies. |
| 5 | CORONER’S CONCERNS During the course of the inquest, the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern. In my opinion, there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken. In the circumstances, it is my statutory duty to report to you. The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows. 1. I heard at inquest that, as industry standard, there is no requirement or even guidance regarding action to be taken by estate agents about particular property hazards, say noting on the property file to warn tenants about a flat roof that is easily accessible via a window but is not in fact safe to access. Such information is not automatically passed on when tenants change and is not necessarily enshrined in the tenancy agreement. 2. In this instance the café owner downstairs had rung the estate agent to complain about tenants from the upstairs flat being on the roof of the café and it was reported that there were emails about this, but nobody from the estate agency had made a note or followed up with the tenants. |
| 6 | ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN In my opinion, action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe that you have the power to take such action. |
| 7 | YOUR RESPONSE You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report, namely by 10 February 2025. I, the coroner, may extend the period. Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out the timetable for action. Otherwise, you must explain why no action is proposed. |
| 8 | COPIES and PUBLICATION I have sent a copy of my report to the following. [REDACTED], son of Fehim Ahmet HHJ Alexia Durran, the Chief Coroner of England & Wales I am also under a duty to send a copy of your response to the Chief Coroner and all interested persons who in my opinion should receive it. I may also send a copy of your response to any other person who I believe may find it useful or of interest. The Chief Coroner may publish either or both in a complete or redacted or summary form. She may send a copy of this report to any person who she believes may find it useful or of interest. You may make representations to me, the coroner, at the time of your response, about the release or the publication of your response. |
| 9 | DATE SIGNED BY SENIOR CORONER 11.12.24 ME Hassell |