A BUSINESSMAN who tried to raffle off his £570,000 Airdrie house has vowed to refund thousands of people after scrapping the competition at the 11th hour.
Philip Leckie had been due to hold a prize draw for his luxury five-bedroom house in Airdrie on Sunday – but pulled the plug due to a lack of ticket sales.
The 51-year-old, currently living in Singapore, has vowed to “repay every penny” after scores of punters left angry messages on social media.
He told the Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser’s sister paper the Daily Record: “I won’t stop until everybody has got every pence back.”
Leckie said he came up with the idea of raffling off his home in a bid to try to realise its true value and raise cash for a local hospice.
He offered 62 Alexander Street complete with all its contents.
Adults could apply for a free postal ticket in the Drawahouse competition and increase their chances of winning if they purchased additional raffle tickets online for £2.50 each.
At the time, Leckie said the prize would be drawn on Sunday “no matter how many people enter”.
But in a video posted on YouTube over the weekend, he said: “While there was a massive attraction in pre-order and commitment to tickets, only one third have ultimately paid for those tickets.
“For that, I am extremely disappointed and sad.
“The decision I have had to make hasn’t been an easy one. I need to return every participant’s money in full, through the appropriate means.
“It has been a difficult time and I have sacrificed time with my family, as well as my personal investment, and I now need to return to my family.
“I am broken-hearted for everyone who had a dream, and for that I am really sorry.”
A St Andrew’s Hospice statement read: “The hospice has been made aware that The Draw a House competition to win a five-bedroom house on Alexander Street in Airdrie initiated and run by the homeowner, Mr Phil Leckie, is not now proceeding.
“Although Mr Leckie advised the hospice that he intended to donate ‘proceeds in excess of the home value to St Andrew’s Hospice’, as stated on the website www.drawahouse.com, the hospice did not operate this competition and it was fully operated by Mr Leckie.
“Mr Leckie did contact our fundraising team about the potential donation to the hospice and a small number of people purchased physical raffle tickets by handing in money directly to the hospice.
“If you are one of this small group of people, please contact John Brady or Louise O’Donnell at St Andrew’s Hospice on 01236 766951.
“On production of a valid raffle ticket(s), we will organise a refund in full. This only applies to tickets which were purchased directly from the hospice.
“Draw a House was organised by the homeowner of which St Andrew’s Hospice was to be a potential beneficiary if the proceeds of sale exceeded the home report value.
“We regret any disappointment caused to participants who purchased tickets because of the intended donation to our hospice.”
One ticket buyer posted online that Leckie was “in breach of his own terms and conditions”.
