“Woman Disheartened as £2 Million House Prize in Competition Shrinks to £5,000 Due to Fine Print”

A woman who believed she had won a £2 million house through a competition was left deeply disappointed when she received a mere £5,000 instead.

Loretta, a 35-year-old teacher from Radford, Nottinghamshire, was declared the winner of the Win My Home competition, which promised a luxurious property located in Nottingham’s Park Estate. The announcement was made in a 55-second video on the competition organizer’s website, with a woman presenting flowers to Loretta and declaring her the winner without specifying the prize.

“Woman Disheartened as £2 Million House Prize in Competition Shrinks to £5,000 Due to Fine Print”

The teacher expressed her heartbreak upon learning that, instead of the house, she would be receiving only £5,000. Loretta explained, “It was heartbreaking because my property at the moment is a death-trap, that’s why I entered it.” She claimed to be unaware of a term on the website stating that if net sales did not reach £2.5 million, the winner would instead receive 50 percent of the net proceeds.

“Woman Disheartened as £2 Million House Prize in Competition Shrinks to £5,000 Due to Fine Print”

Emails obtained by NottinghamshireLive revealed that the competition organizers cited a loss and awarded the £5,000 as a “goodwill gesture.” They explained that they had incurred nearly £200,000 in “marketing costs” and faced challenges in processing visa payments. Despite being contacted for comment, Win My Home, the company behind the prize draw, has not provided a response.

The competition ran from March to August, offering participants the chance to win a luxurious six-bedroom, four-story villa. Entry packages ranged from 15 entries for £10 to 1,000 entries for £350, with an option for one free postal entry. The announcement video portrayed Loretta’s joy at winning, accompanied by a heartfelt statement about her and her husband’s search for their first home together.

However, according to Loretta, who chose not to disclose her last name, the reality was different. “Two people came and they said ‘yes, you’ve won,’ and I was like ‘yes, where are my keys?'” she recounted. 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, eager to escape their council home plagued by “horrible” mold, were left disappointed.

“Woman Disheartened as £2 Million House Prize in Competition Shrinks to £5,000 Due to Fine Print”

Loretta clarified her situation, pleading with well-wishers to stop congratulating her, emphasizing that while she appreciated the £5,000 prize, it was not the windfall people assumed it to be. She expressed her disappointment at the prize size, 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 electricity.”

In response to Loretta’s concerns, Win My Home stated 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 mentioned, “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 additional comments.