Property leaders not amused by new play ‘How to Kill Your Landlord’
Edinburgh Fringe Festival play may have comedic ambitions, but its treatment of landlords is serious, says both NRLA and Propertymark.
How to Kill Your Landlord is a new play at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival about three tenants of a ‘contemptible landlord’ who plot to kill him after he tells them they are to be evicted.
However, as a result of its demonisation of landlords, the property industry has failed to see the funny side and one landlord website has called it ‘disgraceful’ and ‘sick.’
During the comedy, landlord Archie gives his three tenants seven days to leave the property after they make a series of complaints about the conditions in their rundown rental home, which features patchy wallpaper and temperamental electrics.
The trio then formulate plans to kill him so they can remain in their home, with ‘hilarious and deadly consequences’.
antagonistic relationship
The play is by Harry Conway, who told an Everything Theatre podcast it was inspired by his experience of renting in London.
He said: “What’s so interesting about renting and dealing with a landlord, and I don’t think this is appreciated enough, but it is a fundamentally antagonistic relationship.”
A spokesperson for the National Residential Landlords Association tells The Neg: “Being a landlord is a serious business, and we would never trivialise ignoring responsibilities. But this isn’t the first and won’t be the last time comedy has explored the more absurd cliches that exist about our trade.
It is hardly unique in mining the stereotypes of landlord and tenant relationships.”
“Whilst this play may not be to everyone’s taste, it is hardly unique in mining the stereotypes of landlord and tenant relationships.
“The overwhelming majority of landlords provide good quality accommodation, and most private tenants are happy with their homes and don’t try to murder their landlords. Provided life doesn’t imitate art too closely, we should have little to worry about.”
And Megan Eighteen, President of ARLA Propertymark, also tells the Neg: “While we can appreciate that the play has a satirical nature and exaggerates complaints and the general depiction of tenant and landlord struggles, it’s important to acknowledge that for most tenants and landlords in real life, these relationships are built on professionalism, safety, and stability.
The play’s Edinburgh run ended on 25th August.
