2J

Why do you think the Cowley’s were able to get away without paying rent all these years?

I presumed it was part of the agreement between the two grandfathers rather than missed payments. Did grandfather Cowley have something on grandfather Preece?

I agree with >2 Sergeirocks:

You can only think they had something on the Preeces otherwise why would they allow them to get away with it.

There's something fishy here. I wonder if there's some blackmail involved.

The connection between these two family definitely requires investigation and I agree that the non-payment of rent has something other than altruism behind it.