"Home Is Where The Hurt Is"

11 March 2026

2 mins 54s

Buyer beware.

This well-played Refuge commercial takes its cues from any UK property show you’d care to mention. Directed by Bonnie MacRae, it stars Fizz Waller as an estate agent with a three-bedroom house to sell. So far, so 'Location, Location, Location'—the more she talks, however, the less cosy it gets.

Take the main hall with motion-sensitive lights, for example ("great for your partner to analyse your outfit before you go out"), or the kitchen with a state hob that's ideal for "gaslighting". Little by little, selling point by selling point, the estate agent's smile becomes more strained, eyes locked on the viewer as more uncomfortable details come to light.

The lounge is a mess with chairs knocked over and pictures askew, but it's OK—whatever happens, triple-glazed windows make it hard for neighbours or passers-by to hear. Besides, a bouquet of flowers and a card that says 'You're Mine' makes everything better.

It all comes to a head in the bathroom, where the estate agent reveals what was once a dream home has turned into a prison, where every mod-con has been weaponised and used to make a partner's life hell. Before it gets any worse, the advertised charity's phone number appears when the mirror steams up—a tactile and memorable sign that hope lies beyond even the most suffocating walls.

UK

Charities