After a Mediterranean honeymoon. Dexter Munro (Stanley Baxter) and his new wife Juliet (Sally Smith) are forced to move in with Sir Beverley Grant (James Robertson Justice), Juliet’s pompous father-in-law when the house they had negotiated to purchase has fallen through.
Juliet loves her father and he returns the affection, but Sir Beverley drives Dexter to distraction, so much so that he takes the morning off from his job at the local travel agency to go house hunting.
He buys Rose Cottage for the unrealistic sum of £4,600 – after unwittingly bidding against his wife at the auction – only to find there is dry rot and woodworm, the foundations are suspect and there is no plumbing of any description.
Sir Beverley immediately tries to take over the lob of renovating the cottage, but Dexter dislikes the elegant interior decorator whom Sir Beverley employs and tells them both to get out.
He decides to enlist the aid of local labour and try his own hand at do-it-yourself. Even the local builder wants an astronomical sum to put the cottage right, and, because he can never stop meddling, Sir Beverley tries to get the builder to reduce his estimate.
After losing his job, Dexter tells his father-in-law to go, only to find that Juliet leaves too.
Very soon the cottage also goes, for thanks to Sir Beverley interfering with the electrician during the renovations, the main fuse box becomes overloaded and sets the house on fire.
Sir Beverley Grant
James Robertson Justice
Dexter Munro
Stanley Baxter
Juliet Munro
Sally Smith
Roddy Chipfield
Leslie Phillips
Mr Gallagher
Eric Barker
Ron
Kenneth Cope
Executioner
Terry Scott
Mary Queen of Scots
Hugh Lloyd
Sir Francis Drake
Fred Emney
Charles II
Peter Jones
Josh
Ronnie Barker
Stan
Philip Locke
Wally
Timothy Bateson
Benzil Bulstrode
James Villiers
Robert the Bruce
John Bluthal
Guy Fawkes
Joseph Brady
Mr Wedgewood
Raymond Huntley
Nell Gwynne
Vanda Hudson
King Harold
Patrick Newell
Mr Trumper
Geoffrey Dunn
Lang
Sydney Bromley
Motorcycle Policeman
Clifford Earl
Motorcyclist
Nicky Henson
Lana
Barbara Roscoe
Mrs Trumper
Anita Sharp-Bolster
Director
Peter Graham Scott