After the disappointing finale to this season of Block NZ that left three teams walking away empty-handed, TSB NZ has announced will give the losing teams $10,000 each.
Chloe Hes and Ben Speedy were crowned the winners of this year's Block NZ, achieving the feat with the smallest winning profit in the show's 10-year history of $4000 with their stylish terrace house. The house sold at auction for $1.145 million.
The friends, returning to compete in the Block after losing out in season seven, walked away with a $100,000 cash prize plus their auction profits - but the other teams weren't so lucky.
Only one other house sold above the reserve, and one house sold at a loss, bringing the show to a disappointing close.
TSB NZ shared on Facebook this afternoon that "after watching the tough results of The Block NZ Auction Grand Final, we didn't want to see any teams go home empty-handed."
Maree and James Steele, Stacy and Adam Middleton, and Quinn and Ben Alexandre will all be receiving $10,000 from the company.
Maree and James Steele were the only other team to sell above the reserve but only took away $100 when their house was sold for $1,152,100. This was a steep drop from the $147,000 they made the first time around in season three. They also won the People's Choice Award, decided by public vote, and took home a new Suzuki Vitara JLX, worth around $28,000.
Stacy and Adam Middleton, who earned nothing from their first appearance on the Block, walked away with nothing for a second time when their house sold after the auction at the reserve price of $1.148m.
Quinn and Ben Alexandre, who won just $10,000 the last time they appeared on the Block, made a loss this time around after their house sold for $39,000 below their reserve of $1.199m.
The teams only get to pocket the profit they make from the sales - what their house sells for above the reserve. When last year's contestants made an average of about half a million each, you can only imagine the team's bitter disappointment, especially since they had all returned in an attempt to garner more cash.
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