Tied cottage

In the United Kingdom, a tied cottage is a dwelling (not always a cottage) owned by an employer for an employee to live in. If the employee leaves their job they may have to leave it. i. While the term originally applied mainly to cottages, it may be loosely applied to any tied accommodation from a small flat to a large house. The idea is generally associated with farming, but may occur in other jobs.  It is still common in churches. It used to be common in the police, in railways, and in public parks.  It gave employers great power over their workers.

The concept has been in use at least since the 18th century. There has been considerable debate, particularly in the 20th century, over whether the system is fair to occupiers, and a number of laws have been enacted or amended to improve their security of tenure. The concept still exists, though in a substantially different form from the original idea.

References

Category:Housing in the United Kingdom
Category:Employment