12 September 2023 , 07:52
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A woman who thought she had won a £2million house in a competition was left 'heartbroken' after receiving only £5,000.
Loretta, from Radford, Nottinghamshire, was declared the winner of the Win My Home competition for a luxurious property in Nottingham's Park Estate. The announcement was made in a 55-second video on the competition organiser's website. A woman is seen bearing flowers as she approaches Loretta's home and declares her the winner of their prize draw, without specifying what the prize was.
The 35-year-old teacher expressed her heartbreak upon learning that instead of the house, she would be receiving a mere £5,000. "It was heartbreaking because my property at the moment is a death-trap, that's why I entered it," Loretta said. She claims she was unaware of a term listed on the website stating that if net sales did not reach £2.5m, the winner would instead receive 50 percent of the net proceeds.
Emails obtained by NottinghamshireLive revealed that the competition organisers claimed to have made a loss and awarded the £5,000 as a "goodwill gesture". They justified this by stating they had incurred nearly £200,000 in "marketing costs" and faced difficulties processing visa payments. Win My Home, the company behind a high-profile prize draw, has remained silent despite being contacted for comment.
The draw, which ran from March to August, tantalised participants with the prospect of winning a luxurious six-bedroom four-storey villa. The entry packages varied, ranging from 15 entries for a mere £10 to a whopping 1,000 entries for £350, with an additional option for one free postal entry. The announcement video, capturing the sheer joy of Loretta upon hearing she had won, was accompanied by a heartfelt statement.
Life on one of the UK's cheapest streets where homes sell for just £25,000
The statement read: "...she and her husband have been looking to buy their first home together! We're so happy for you both and wish you all the best for your next chapter," followed by a house emoji. However, speaking to NottinghamshireLive, Loretta, who chose to keep her surname private, recounted a different tale. "Two people came and they said 'yes you've won' and I was like 'yes, where are my keys?'" she said.
To her dismay, they informed her that she hadn't won the house but a cash prize of £5,000 instead. "I was like 'right, thanks' and they said 'unfortunately because we didn't raise enough money I can't give you the house'." Instead of the dream home, they offered to transfer the £5,000 directly into her bank account. Loretta and her husband, desperate to escape their council home plagued with "horrible" mould, were left disappointed. "All we're trying to do is get out of this property," she said.
Loretta went on to say: "People have got in touch with me saying congratulations, but I say 'don't congratulate me because I didn't win'. They say I'm lying." She pleaded for an end to the congratulatory messages, clarifying that while she was grateful for the £5,000 prize, it was not the windfall people assumed it to be.
She expressed her disappointment at the size of the prize, stating, "Even if they said we can't give you the house but here's £50,000, it's something. But £5,000? £5,000 now can't even get you gas and electrics." In response to Loretta's concerns, Win My Home said via email that their terms and conditions were "very explicit" about the winner receiving a percentage of the net profit if sufficient funds were not raised.
The company stated, "The amount that we have awarded actually came from our own personal pockets because we wanted to award you something as a goodwill gesture and hoped that it would make a positive difference to your lives." The Mirror has contacted the company for further comment.
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