After a tough final auction for contestants on The Block NZ: Redemption, TSB has announced it'll give the losing teams $10,000 each.
Auckland friends Chloe Hes and Ben Speedy were revealed as the 2022 winners on Sunday, bagging only $4000 in profit after their home sold for $1,145,000. But as the night's winners, they still walked away with the $100,000 grand prize as well.
But the other teams weren't so lucky. Fellow competitors Maree and James Steele were the only others to have sold their house on the night - but they made just $100 over their reserve.
Hes and Speedy's profit was the lowest win in the show's 10-year history.
The other two teams' homes failed to sell on the night, but have since been purchased.
Quinn and Ben's home was marketed with a reserve of $1,199,000, and Stacy and Adam's house at $1,148,000. Both sold for an undisclosed amount.
TSB announced on Tuesday afternoon it would give the three losing teams $10,000 each because they "didn't want to see any teams go home empty-handed".
"As a proud partner of Three's The Block NZ, congratulations to all of the teams for your hard mahi this season," TSB said in a Facebook post.
"You've created beautiful houses and should be proud of what you've achieved over the last 12 weeks."
The Steeles said they were both "blown away by this act of kindness".
"Thank you TSB New Zealand. We are so grateful and still can not believe this is happening. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you," the pair said.
Following Hes and Speedy's win at the tough auction, they told AM they knew the housing market wasn't looking great when they signed up for the show.
"We were well aware when we signed up that the market wasn't looking great, [and we thought] whatever happens, happens. The day of auction, I was prepared for our house not to sell," Hes said.
"The Block itself is such a fun experience, the three months you hang out with friends, the crew, and getting involved in a different industry and all of that stuff," Speedy said.
When asked what they'd be doing with their $104,000 winnings, Hes said she would be using some of it for a move to Tauranga, whereas Speedy revealed he would be a bit more cautious with his money this time around.
"I spent my last one overseas, so I spent it. This time I'm going to try and be a little bit more sensible about it. Sit on it for a bit - I'm probably going to spend it all," he said.
