Readers' forum: Windfall

A charity client operates from a large manor house. In its grounds there is a gatekeeper’s cottage which has been inhabited by a family for about 25 years. The family consisted of a husband wife and son but the wife died some years ago.

In the first five years the father who is an immigrant did some work for the charity in maintaining the manor house. However this was dealt with on a self-employed basis and did not amount to very much. The father has never been an employee of the charity. His son has employment elsewhere and the charity has never employed him. The family have never paid rent to the charity in all the years they have lived in the cottage. The charity has now asked the father and son to vacate the property so that the organisation can use...