West Midlands Father Wins Multi-Million Pound Omaze Property
In a stunning turn of events, Glen Elmy, a foundry worker from Walsall in the West Midlands, became the fortunate winner of a £3 million luxury coastal home in Devon through an Omaze competition. The sleek, Bond-inspired property, known as Stealth House, features an infinity pool and breathtaking sea views that initially seemed like an absolute paradise.
Initial Joy Turns to Concern
When Glen Elmy discovered his win in October 2021, he was completely "gobsmacked", having previously only won three pounds at a holiday bingo night. At the time, he expressed immense joy, stating that the house was exactly what his family needed after difficult personal circumstances. His wife Debbie had lost her father to Covid, and their youngest son had recently been made redundant.
"We absolutely love the house—if I could have designed one from scratch, it would look just like this," Glen said enthusiastically. "It's like something from a Bond film. We will be keeping it as there's no other house like it in the country."
Three-Day Stay Ends Abruptly
Despite these initial celebrations, Glen allegedly spent just three days at the North Devon property before concerns over cliff erosion prompted him to leave. According to reports, he returned the keys to Omaze and requested the cash equivalent of the property's £3 million value instead. Local sources indicate that the house sits perilously close to the cliff edge, with one neighbor noting that "the corner of the house goes almost to the cliff edge, it's about two metres away from the edge."
An unnamed local resident added to the speculation, revealing that "there is all sorts of speculation that it can't be insured because of how close it's been built to the sea and on the cliff edge." The area is known for coastal erosion, with warning signs about falling rocks present along the beach.
Omaze Defends Property Integrity
In response to these claims, an Omaze spokesperson strongly rejected suggestions that the luxury property is "tumbling into the sea." The company issued a firm statement asserting that extensive professional surveys, searches, and inspections were conducted prior to purchasing the house, with none raising material concerns about coastal erosion.
"Omaze can confirm that none of these reports raised any material concerns with the property, including in relation to coastal erosion," the spokesperson stated. "The property is fully insurable."
Not an Isolated Incident
Glen Elmy's situation appears to reflect a pattern among some Omaze winners who encounter unexpected difficulties after their initial victories. In August 2022, Leicestershire couple Uttam Parmar and his wife Raki won a £3 million Cornish coastline property but allegedly vacated it just eight weeks later, according to reports that Omaze has contested.
Similarly, grandmother June Smith, who won a six-bedroom property in Fowey, Cornwall in May 2023, chose to sell quickly after just one visit to the home that locals reportedly dubbed a "fishbowl." These cases contrast with more positive outcomes, such as that of Lauren Keene, who became Omaze's youngest ever winner last year and enthusiastically embraced her Hollywood Hills-style dream home in the Wirral.
The story of Glen Elmy's brief ownership highlights the complex realities that can accompany seemingly miraculous property wins, raising questions about due diligence and long-term viability of such high-value competition prizes in environmentally sensitive locations.
