Watch out for lodgers behaving badly. The BBC is reinventing Rising Damp as the credit crunch prompts a boom in “lodger sought” advertisements.

Millions tuned in to watch life at the seedy bedsits operated by the appalling landlord Rigsby, played by Leonard Rossiter, in the classic Seventies sitcom. Now BBC Two has asked Simon Nye, creator of Men Behaving Badly, to return to the guest house milieu for a new prime-time sitcom.

The series coincides with “room for rent” websites recording a big rise in advertisements over the past year as homeowners seek to offset living costs and first-time buyers find themselves priced out of market. Rigsby’s unlucky tenants were often students. Today lodgers are more likely to be migrant workers or young professionals saving to get on the property ladder.

The “guests” at the rundown North London establishment, the setting for In My Country, reflect Britain’s changing migration patterns. There are Polish workers on 18-hour shifts who fall asleep in a pile, a Kosovan refugee and an ex-Thai bride. Their “leader” is Navid, an Iranian immigrant down on his luck, played by the stand-up comedian Omid Djalili, who also contributed material to the series.

The characters live under the strictures of the hard-up landlady, Mrs Ledley (Amelia Bullmore), who lives next door, collects the rent and reminds them of the rules of the house: “If you see a rat, kill it.” In Rising Damp, Don Warrington played an “African chief” whose elevated background appealed to Rigsby’s snobbery. In My Country stars the comic Stephen K. Amos, playing Johnny, a Nigerian immigrant newly arrived in Britain, who wants to get ahead.

Mark Freeland, executive producer, told The Times: “We want to recreate a classic sitcom format but crucially as a take on 21st-century Britain. We are speaking to the immigration authorities to get real stories into the comedy.” Will Mrs Ledley follow Rigsby into the pantheon of comedy grotesques? “The irony is while all the lodgers are immigrants, it is the Brit, Mrs Ledley, who is on the make and looking to make a profit,” Mr Freeland said. “Inevitably there is sexual chemistry between her and one of the lodgers. Viewers developed great sympathy for the underdog characters in Rising Damp. We want to reflect that.”

SpareRoom.co.uk said that its user figures had doubled to 800,000 in the past year. A spokesman said: “By far the biggest growth area is in people renting out a room in their own home. The reduction of mortgage deals has meant most first-time buyers without a deposit are finding it impossible to buy, so end up sharing for longer than they had planned. There’s always a demand for rooms in cheap areas.”

The Government’s rent-a-room scheme, allowing people to earn up to £4,250 by letting out one of their rooms, has encouraged more people to turn to lodgers as a way of increasing income, the spokesman added.

But Rigsby’s seedy bedsit will no longer do for aspiring young professionals – there was no plasma screen. The SpareRoom spokesman said: “People aren’t just looking for somewhere to sleep nowadays. They want a kitchen where they can cook and entertain, access to wireless broadband and a comfortable quality of life.”

What happened next

Leonard Rossiter (Rupert Rigsby) died at the age of 57 just as he was about to go on stage in London. Apart from Rising Damp, he is best known for his portrayal of Reggie Perrin and for his Cinzano adverts with Joan Collins.

Frances de la Tour (Miss Jones) has enjoyed a distinguished career with several theatre companies, including the RSC. She recently won a Tony award for The History Boys. Also appeared in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Richard Beckinsale (Alan Moore) played Lennie Godber in Ronnie Barker’s Porridge at the same time as Rising Damp. He died of a heart attack at the age of 31.

Don Warrington (Philip Smith) has appeared in Lovejoy, Doctor Who, Red Dwarf, Manchild and Diamond Geezer. He has worked with the RSC, the National Theatre and the Bristol Old Vic. He is now preparing to take part in the next series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Mr Rigsby
Age 47
Locale Shabby boarding house in the North
Rooms available for vulnerable spinsters, students, African immigrants – with royal blood
Advice to tenants “The permissive society doesn’t exist. I know, I’ve looked for it.”
Boarded up Rising Damp (ITV) ran 1974-78

Mrs Ledley
Age 44
Locale Rundown guest house in North London
Rooms available for Polish builders, Thai brides, African immigrants – cash upfront
Advice to tenants “If you see a rat, kill it.”
Opening up In My Country (BBC Two) will make its first appearance next spring

Editor's choice

• U2 at Nou Camp Stadium, Barcelona
• The 50 Best Movie Villains
• The 15 golden rules of theatre etiquette