free flat with job problem PLEASE ADVISE

mrsbear_3

I have an agreement with a small club that is run by a committee, for some light daily duties I get a flat and council tax paid for free and I get £15 per week for sweeping outside and electric used for washing their table cloths.

I have been doing this for 5 years, and have never had any problems, however, there is a new chairman of the committee and he thinks I get too much in return for my duties. He has requested a meeting with me on Friday and I think he is going to ask me to pay rent or my own council tax.

I realise I am on to a good thing, but the flat would be unrentable to a private tenant ie old electrics, polystyrene tiles,broken sash windows, they have never spent any money on it in the past 5 years and I have done all minor repairs and decorating in the club as well as the flat for free to save them money, I am not sure whether to mention this at the meeting and dont know where I stand legally, I donot have a contract with them but can prove that I have lived here for the past 5 years.

Any advice is most welcome.

poppysarah

Give them a list of issues with the flat. If they want you to pay rent for it - (or not!) then it should be up to standard.
Make a list of all the duties you do.

You should probably get some advice from the CAB or a union.

mrsbear_3

Thanks poppysarah, I will start writing a list !

poppysarah

It could be construed that by 5 years service you have a contract that spells out what you do in return for what you get.
A massive reduction in pay would be unreasonable and you leaving might be able to be seen as contructive dismissal. Maybe.
But def go see someone who knows their residential employment law.

CIS

Legally you are the liable party for council tax on the property so , if they stopped paying it for you, then you would be the one pursued by the Council - technically it should be your name on the bill now.

poppysarah

CIS wrote: »

Legally you are the liable party for council tax on the property so , if they stopped paying it for you, then you would be the one pursued by the Council - technically it should be your name on the bill now.

I used to work for a council in a residential job and my name wasn't on the council tax. It was the director of the department - and only the job title.

firesidemaid

you say 'he' - any decision like this should be a club/committee decision and not just his decision.

the club may find that by having to pay to update the flat (to rent it to you), paying for all the annual maintenance for it, and then having to pay you the going rate/minimum wage for what you do including the 'on-call' out-of-hours security service you provide may prove less of a good idea.

are there any thoughts/ideas for making or saving money for the club instead/also that you would be prepared to share with them?

i have no experience, but 5 years is a long time and it would have to be a very gradual or token increase in rent. this would also be the time to get something in writing. but, there is a verbal contract as such as you have been providing them with a service.

have they been paying tax, ni etc on your wages?

theartfullodger

Do you have any sort of agreement - called tenancy agreement or whatever, verbal or not - you say you have "No contract"?? Was anything said in front of witnesses about the agreement???... However as the accommodation seems to go with the job it is very probably a "License" rather than a "Tenancy", whatever is written down (or not written down). Think you should definitely get advice from Shelter/CaB on this...

If it is a "License" from the job then I think you can be evicted with many fewer rights than under a normal "Tenancy".

Re. the work etc.. are you being paid at least the minimum wage - £5:73/hr for over 22yrs?? If not I think the club may have a problem ...


Good luck !!

Artful

princeofpounds

This is a job for a lawyer as it crosses housing and employment law. Try landlordzone forums, some lawyers post there.