Villagers fear TikTok influencer family’s home raffle will bring ‘riff raff’ to their Devon village
A family who held a raffle at their home on TikTok received a letter from their neighbors saying that they did not want the ‘rabble’ to come to the village.
Nick and Jess Smith, known on social media as the Smithy Family, have renovated a three-bedroom flat in a mid-Devon village and offered their six million followers the chance to win it in a raffle.
For £3, participants will bag keys to the newly built flat as well as £10,000 to spend on decorating, with the pair aiming to exchange 65,000 tickets.
The Smiths explained that they had received a letter from their neighbor stating that the raffle was “completely inappropriate for an established village like ours” and that the area was “not an experiment or marketing exercise”.
Residents explain that they ‘do not want the area to be opened up to mobsters or opportunists who see the property as a prize rather than a place to live’.
The letter ends by pressuring former builders Nick, 38, and Jess, 35, to abandon their plans and sell the property in the ‘traditional’ way the villagers ‘expect’.
The Smiths shared the letter on their Facebook page.
Raffle tickets cost £3 and the Smiths hope to sell 65,000 tickets
Nick, 38, and Jess, 35, are a popular, influential couple with millions of followers online.
Couple renovate three-bedroom flat in mid-Devon village
Concerned neighbors said there was a double raffle: ‘completely inappropriate for an established village like ours.’
They added: ‘This is an established community with a strong sense of identity. Many residents have lived here for decades and take pride in maintaining the character, safety and standards of the area.
‘Opening the property in this way risks attracting individuals who have no real connection to the village and little respect for the community.
‘There is a growing feeling among residents that the influx of people from London is putting pressure on village life and this proposal only adds to these concerns.
‘There are growing concerns this could have a wider impact on the village. Turning homes into raffle prizes risks shifting the area toward novelty and short-term interest rather than stable, long-term residence.
‘Many neighbors feel this undermines the values of the community and opens the door to individuals who do not respect the character, privacy or standards of the village.’
The Smiths claimed the flat was for the purpose of giving ‘someone who would otherwise struggle to get on the property ladder a life-changing chance’.
The Smithy Family’s Facebook post said: ‘We didn’t expect to feel this way today, but here we are.
‘We’ve read some negative comments, messages and even received a letter asking what we’ve done with the flat and to be honest it’s really sad.
‘Not because everyone has to agree with us, but because of our intentions and the assumptions made about the type of people who might one day live there.
Nick held up the letter for his followers to see, who were quick to support the couple in the giveaway
‘This is not a trick. This is not a joke. And this is definitely not about seeking attention or trying to stir up controversy.
‘It’s about giving someone a chance. A real, life-changing chance.
‘In a housing market where many people feel completely left out, we wanted to do something that opens the door rather than keeping it closed.
‘The hardest part of the letter to read, especially the letter, was that it seemed like people could decide for themselves who deserved to live somewhere and who didn’t.
‘No one has the right to decide where someone else should live or whether they are ‘good enough’ to be there.
‘Whoever buys this flat will have a real person with a story, hopes and pride in their home.
‘They won’t be ‘the rabble’ – They will be someone who has taken the leap, invested in the opportunity and will value that home deeply.
‘We truly believe that what we do is a good thing and that it comes from fairness, kindness and trying to help someone in a challenging environment.
‘We know not everyone will agree and that’s okay but our hearts are in the right place and we stand by this.’
