Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Refunds still unpaid months after house raffle shelved
A businessman who shelved a competition to raffle off his £570,000 house in Airdrie has still to refund some participants – eight months after the contest was axed.
Philip Leckie this week apologised after it was revealed some people are still waiting to be refunded for their tickets to the doomed raffle, which was canned at the eleventh hour.
The 51-year-old businessman had been due to hold a prize draw for the luxury fivebedroom house, but pulled the plug just days before the draw was due to be made in December last year, blaming a lack of ticket sales.
Mr Leckie, who currently lives in Singapore, vowed to “repay every penny” after scores of punters left angry messages on social media.
However, the Advertiser was contacted by a few readers over the past couple of weeks who told us they were still awaiting their refund.
One reader, who wished to remain anonymous, told us: “I can’t believe I’m still waiting after all this time.
“I emailed Mr Leckie months ago and he asked me to send him more details about my raffle ticket. I sent this information on to him but still haven’t received a refund.
“It’s not as if it’s a lot of money, so I don’t understand what the problem is.”
After the Advertiser contacted Mr Leckie regarding the raffle entrants’ claims and concerns, he apologised for “any inconvenience caused,” with one reader contacting us to confirm they had since
received their refund.
Mr Leckie told us: “I appreciate the concerns of some of your readers.
“Most of the refunds, which happen manually, have been made.
“Why manually? Some participants’ cards have expired, or their Paypal account doesn’t match the email used to buy tickets, and so I need to match those up.
“If someone has provided the above and hasn’t been refunded it’s a genuine oversight on my part and I would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.
“Everyone I believe has contacted me with the relevant information has been refunded, and I will continue to refund all tickets.”
Following the cancellation of the raffle last December, Mr Leckie said he came up with the idea of raffling off his home, at 62 Alexander Street, and all its contents in a bid to try to realise its true value and raise cash for St Andrew’s Hospice.
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.
But in a video posted on Youtube days before the draw was due to be made, 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.”