Student nurse 'sofa surfing' since landlord put her rent up wins lavish £5m home
A student nurse who was forced to "sofa surf" after becoming a victim of the rent crisis has won a £5million house.
Oceanne Belle, 49, had recently moved in with friends so she could afford to continue her studies when her landlord put her rent up. But she has now won the keys to a stunning townhouse worth a massive £5,000,000 - along with a tidy £100,000 in cash.
The prize from Omaze is part of a campaign that raised £2,600,000 for NHS Charities Together, the charity caring for the NHS. Her new four-storey home was won with a ticket worth only £10, and is located in one of London's most sought-after areas, Chelsea.
The home is located in one of London's most sought-after areas, Chelsea (OMAZE / SWNS)The property is also the most valuable house ever to be won in a UK prize draw. It also comes mortgage free, with all stamp duty and legal fees covered. Oceanne is now free to either live in the house, rent it out or sell it to become a cash multi-millionaire. Local estate agents estimate that the property could achieve a long-term rental value of around £140,000 a year. Pictures from inside the home show a sleek modern interior, as well as a private garden furnished with plush outdoor seating.
Oceanne studies full-time at the University of Sunderland in London, and will finish her BSc (Bachelor of Science) degree in Health and Social Care in January. Originally from the Seychelles, Oceanne has lived in London for 19 years with her long-term partner 56-year-old Messaoud, nicknamed Didine.
London flat for rent for £1,400 a month with bed tucked away in kitchen cupboard
The home boasts an ultra-modern interior and garden (OMAZE / SWNS)When Omaze first tried to contact Oceanne to tell her she’d scooped a prize, she blocked the number because she didn’t recognise it - but she now says winning the house is the "best Christmas present ever". Recalling the moment of her big win, Oceanne said: “It was a Friday night and I’d been writing a dissertation all day and feeling a bit down in the dumps as it's so stressful. I got a few calls from a number I didn’t know so I blocked it, twice!
"Then I got a text message telling me I’d won an Omaze prize - I just text back saying this must be a joke!? I eventually went downstairs to see who was there and was greeted by the Omaze team singing funny Christmas carols - then the next thing I knew I’d won a multimillion-pound house and my life had changed forever!
Oceanne is now free to either live in the house, rent it out or sell it to become a cash multi-millionaire (OMAZE / SWNS)“I never win anything and had only ever entered Omaze draws twice before - I guess it's a case of third time lucky! When they told me I’d won the grand prize I was shaking. It’s still sinking in and I was still shaking on Sunday. My partner and I are staying with friends in their flat at the moment as my old landlord kept on putting our rent up and up, so we couldn’t afford to stay there any longer. I’m studying to become a paediatric nurse one day, so it's very difficult to pay for rent in London while also being at university full-time.”
She continued: “It's so crazy that last week I was technically ‘sofa surfing’ at a friend’s flat - and now I’ve won a £5 million townhouse in Chelsea - it's just unbelievable. I can now invite all my family over from the Seychelles to come and stay. I absolutely love cooking and can’t wait to use the kitchen - it's an amazing feeling. This has to be the best Christmas present ever! I’m not sure what I’m going to do long-term yet - but we’re definitely going to spend some time here and enjoy it. Winning this house is a dream come true, but it won’t change me as a person, I still want to fulfil my ultimate dream of becoming a paediatric nurse - and this win will help me to achieve that.”
The Omaze Million Pound House Draw also raised £2,600,000 for NHS Charities Together (OMAZE / SWNS)The Omaze Million Pound House Draw also raised £2,600,000 for NHS Charities Together - the national independent charity caring for the NHS. She added that she was "thrilled" that the draw had raised so much for the charity, as she had recently had long stay in hospital. "I owe my life to the NHS - I wouldn’t be here today without them", she added. Ellie Orton OBE, Chief Executive at NHS Charities Together, said: “This incredible amount of money will help us provide life-saving equipment, volunteers and training that will save lives.''
James Oakes from Omaze, said: “We’re over the moon that Oceanne has won this incredible townhouse in Chelsea, whilst also contributing to the £2,600,000 raised for NHS Charities Together - which is our biggest ever raise for a charity partner.'' Draw entries for the current Omaze Million Pound House Draw in Somerset are available now at omaze.co.uk. The draw closes on Tuesday 26 December for online entries, and Wednesday January 3 2024 for postal entries.
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