Couple slammed after asking public for £2,500 to renovate 'dated' new home on GoFundMe

A COUPLE have been slammed after asking strangers to cough up £2,500 to renovate their new home.

Adam Stark and Ali Jennings set up a GoFundMe page to raise cash to spruce up their "dated" house in Stapenhill, Staffordshire as they say they are "key workers".

But they raised just £10 as disgusted members of the public branded their fundraising appeal "unbelievable" in a furious backlash.

The couple, who met on Tinder, bought the house just before Christmas and moved in at the start of the year.

They claimed the previous owner, an elderly man, hadn't given the home a makeover in up to 30 years.

After setting up the GoFundMe page they asked if people could provide items for their kitchen or bathroom, adding they "didn't mind" if they were second-hand.

'RIDICULOUS'

And the couple asked if tradesmen could "donate" a day to work for them for free.

Adam, a lorry driver delivering medical supplies for the NHS, said: "I know with everything that is going on that there's a lot of support for key workers at the moment and it was suggested to me by a friend to do this and I thought why not.

"I can do a lot of the work myself but I will have to get other people in. It's the bathroom and kitchen that mainly need doing.

"We want them redoing completely but we don't mind if it is second-hand stuff.

If people were to donate things to the house or if tradespeople don't have money but want to donate a day off to help us that would be amazing

"I believe the house did belong to an elderly gentleman and it has not been touched for 20 to 30 plus years. It's all very old and needs updating.

"We moved here as the area is beautiful, it's a lovely house, a lovely street and a lovely community. The house has not been neglected, it just needs updating.

"We saw the potential this house had and thought we could make it our family home. We saw a lot of houses in different areas and thought this was the right one.

"If people were to donate things to the house or if tradespeople don't have money but want to donate a day off to help us that would be amazing. We'd appreciate anything like that.

"We'd appreciate any help we can get. We don't expect to get the whole house done for free but a little bit of help would be amazing."

But outraged locals took to social media to vent their fury after the couple's appeak to help meet their refurbishment costs.

One posted: "There's not many people out there who buy a house that looks like a showroom from the get-go.

"Welcome to the real world. Fact of life: you have to wait, save and work on it bit by bit.

"That's what owning a house is all about. You can't buy a house and then ask Jo public to pay to do it up for you."

My husband is a keyworker and I need my garden doing so my children have somewhere to play in the summer… anyone want to donate to me

And another said: "My husband is a keyworker and I need my garden doing so my children have somewhere to play in the summer… anyone want to donate to me?

"No? Didn’t think so! We will keep working and pay for the things we want ourselves"

And a third raged: "Unbelievable! When I moved into my house 32 years ago the 'so called' kitchen consisted of a sink unit with just enough space to put a fridge ,cooker and washer…..that was it!!!

"I would consider them to be very lucky and should be grateful for what they have."

Another blasted: "Bloody ridiculous. Both Andy and I have worked all the way through the pandemic as we were classed as key workers.

"So do u think if I do a Go Fund Me Page I could get a trip to the Carribean??? The world has gone mad

The couple, who met on the dating app just before the first Covid lockdown. have now taken down the GoFundMe page.

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