Tom Steenson, 63, received a knock at the door telling him he’d scooped the four bed house and £250K in cash as part of Omaze’s Million Pound House Draw – but says he considered ignoring it
A dad almost missed out on winning a new house worth £2million because he “fancied a pint” at the pub.
Tom Steenson, 63, received a knock at the door telling him he’d scooped the four bed house and £250K in cash as part of Omaze’s Million Pound House Draw, which he entered with just £20. The dad, who lives in Maidstone, says he considered ignoring it – in case it would “interfere with my trip to the pub”
He said: ”Missing that pint made me a millionaire – it’s the best pint I’ve never had!” Tom is now the proud owner of a contemporary, four-bed home near the stunning coastal town of Exmouth. It comes complete with a heated swimming pool and panoramic views of the surrounding scenery and coastline.
The family’s new home comes mortgage-free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered, plus £250,000 in cash. If they decide to rent it out, local estate agents estimate the property could bring in a rental value of between £6,000 to £7,000 per month.
When the Omaze team arrived, Tom was on his way to the pub. He said: “My wife answered and was sceptical at first, she initially thought the Omaze team were the police! She was joking, what’s he done now!? She called me to say Omaze were at our house, but I very nearly ignored it as I thought it might interfere with my trip to the pub!
On his new house he said: “The house is just magnificent, it looks like something out of a film! It’s not unfair to say it’s a bit nicer than where we currently live! My wife is a part time cleaner and cleans houses like this every now and then – but we never thought we’d end up owning one! We love the house, there’s loads of space for all our friends and family to come and stay. The pool looks great! It’s a bit nippy today but if I had my trunks I’d definitely be tempted to dive in!
“Devon is beautiful, we love being in the countryside and by the sea. Waking up to these rolling hills and sea views will never get dull.”
“This win means we’ll never have to worry about money ever again – it’s a dream come true. I could retire early, but my boss doesn’t have to worry as I’ll keep working for a while yet, I like to stay busy. Our grandkids are going to love this place, they’ve already planned a big pool party.
“We’ll definitely enjoy the house for a bit, but we’ll most likely sell it, maybe next year, as the money we’ll get is life-changing for the entire family. Thanks to £250k we’ve pocketed as part of the win, we could afford to stay here for ten years if we wanted to. Selling and banking the cash would enable us to help all our children and grandchildren – it’s a generational legacy for our family. We could help our kids get on the property ladder now – it’s all very exciting!”
The couple were living in their current 2-bed house in Maidstone since 2021. They have a son and daughter as well as two grandchildren. They also have a Cocker Spaniel called Dazzle. Tom has worked in training and development for the motor industry for 38 years.
The 4,200 square feet home offers breathtaking views of the Devonshire countryside from almost every room, and boasts an impressive atrium with a skylight overhead to brighten up the space. The heart of the home is the double height sitting and dining room space, with a galleried landing above and sliding glass doors below that open onto the manicured rear gardens.
It also has a large kitchen and breakfast room with sliding glass doors to the gardens, complete with a big central island, breakfast bar, Corian worktops, chic fitted units and integrated Siemens appliances.
Upstairs, the spacious landing provides a seating area that leads off into three beautifully appointed double bedrooms.
These include the generous main bedroom, complete with dressing room and en suite bathroom. The first floor also has a family bathroom with a separate walk-in shower. Adjacent to the main house is an elegant guest annexe, with self-contained kitchenette and en suite.
As well as making Tom a multi-millionaire, the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, Devon, raised £3.5 million for Campaign Against Living Miserably – CALM – which runs life-saving suicide prevention services.
The Omaze partnership was backed by comedian and CALM Patron, Romesh Ranganathan, who was delighted with the “unbelievable” amount raised. Simon Gunning, CEO of CALM said: “We knew this partnership with Omaze would be game-changing for us, but this is way beyond what we imagined. £3.5 million is an unbelievable, life-saving amount and could mean we’re able to safeguard our suicide prevention helpline for the next 2 years and save so many lives in the process.
”At a time when our services have never been needed more, this money will be vital in ensuring people get the support they need to end their misery, not their lives. So, a massive thank you from everyone at Campaign Against Living Miserably! Every single person who entered the draw has helped us raise this incredible amount.”
James Oakes, Chief International Officer at Omaze, said: “Everyone at Omaze is thrilled that Tom has won this special house in Devon, whilst also contributing to the £3.5 million raised for CALM, a charity that means a lot to him.
“Omaze offers people the chance to win amazing houses, like this incredible house in Devon, whilst also introducing charities to new audiences that they wouldn’t normally reach – it’s a real win-win for entrants and our charity partners. We’re immensely proud that the Omaze community has now raised over £63 million for good causes across the UK.”
