7:00pm Friday 6th November 2009
By Juliette Astrup
A WINNER in the beleaguered “win a house in Sandbanks” competition will finally be picked, organisers have promised – months after the draw should have taken place.
A series of delays and apparent drawn-out wrangles with the Gambling Commission left frustrated entrants wondering what had happened to their money.
Thousands paid £25 each and answered three questions online to stand a chance of claiming the luxury £950,000 four-bedroom home in “Millionaires’ Row”.
But organisers Poole-based Vivid Construction Ltd said they failed to attract the 52,000 entrants needed for the prize to be given away.
Instead the winner should have received the cash from all the entry fees – minus 20 per cent “to cover the promoters’ costs and expenses”. That was due to take place in August.
Vivid has blamed the Gambling Commission for the delay, and the “ambiguity” over such win-a-house events.
They must involve a sufficient level of skill to be bona fide competitions – otherwise they are illegal lotteries and fall foul of Gambling Commission rules.
The organisers say it has taken until now for them to feel satisfied that the draw can go ahead without fear of repercussions – but they still haven’t set the date.
A spokesman said: “There have been some requests for refunds and we need to sort that out to ensure we get the correct figure for the actual prize money.”
He said they intended to carry out the draw “in as open a manner as possible” – by verifying the number of entries and making the draw electronically in a solicitors office in front of impartial witnesses.
But some ticket holders remain unconvinced.
One man, who asked not to be named, said he remained “very suspicious” after his emails went unanswered and promised competition newsletters failed to materialise.
“I’d like to see a full refund for everyone,” he added.
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