A pensioner died in a freak accident when a man plunged through a skylight and landed on him in the middle of a London café.
Fehim Ahmet, 81, suffered brain and spinal injuries in the incident on July 7, when he was sat enjoying an evening with friends.
An inquest heard the man who fell was visiting friends who had just moved in to a flat adjacent to the café.
He climbed out of a window on to the café’s flat roof, and fell when he sat on the skylight and it collapsed under his weight.
Mr Ahmet died from his injuries after two weeks in hospital.
Coroner Mary Hassell has now issued a report warning of future deaths, after evidence at the inquest that the café owners had complained to estate agencies Network Agencies about tenants climbing on to the roof, but nothing had been done.
“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”, the coroner wrote.
“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.”
She called for action after evidence was given that there is no obligation on estate agents, or even guidance, to alert tenants to possible dangers – like hazardous flat roofs - at the homes they are renting.
“Such information is not automatically passed on when tenants change and is not necessarily enshrined in the tenancy agreement”, she set out.
The coroner added: “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.”
Ms Hassell’s report has been sent to Mr Ahmet’s son, as well as Finsbury Park-based Network Agencies and the estate and lettings agency team at National Trading Standards.
They have been given until February 10 next year to respond to her concerns.
