Rich House, Poor House viewers claim the show is ‘staged’ after struggling woman’s £600 rent arrears letter is left out for a millionaire to find

• Laura and partner Rob, from Wakefield, appeared on Rich House, Poor House
• Read More: Mother breaks down in tears when a millionaire gives her £10K

Rich House, Poor House viewers have accused the show of being ‘staged’ after a woman’s £600 rent arrears letter was left out for a millionaire to find.

In the latest episode of the Channel 5 series, self-made millionaire William and his friend Ross from Bridlington, East Yorkshire, swapped lives with Laura and partner Rob, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

Laura told the show that she wanted to start a career as a letting agent but has been struggling to work due to her endometriosis diagnosis.

Even after she landed the perfect job in a local estate agency last year, she was soon made redundant after the property market slumped and she was forced to get by on benefits with just £65 left over after she’d paid the weekly bills.

Laura and partner Rob, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, struggled to pay bills and rent arrears 

Meanwhile, millionaire developer and landlord William, who has built an empire of more than 100 homes, said he spends an average of £1,500 on living expenses a week. 

During their one-week life swap, Laura and Rob moved into the millionaire’s 12 bedroom-mansion – which boasts nine bathrooms, five reception rooms, a stately dining room, acres of land and a heated outdoor swimming pool. 

At the beginning of the television experiment, Natalie opened up about her endometriosis diagnosis, saying: ‘My health deteriorated and I was in a lot of physical pain on a daily basis.

‘It does get to me at times, it makes me feel like a failure. The benefits that I do receive with the rent arrears and everything else going out it does leave me with next to nothing.’

However it wasn’t revealed if Laura’s partner contributed to the household bills, which some of the viewers were quick to question.

One person wrote: ‘No mention of her partner’s financial contribution to the household? She talks in the single person. Is he just a freeloader? This prog is staged now. #richhousepoorhouse’

Another said: ‘She’s the one paying and feeling responsible for the rent mmm… ‘

Someone else wrote: ‘Wait. Why is Rob not contributing to the rent arrears.. doesn’t he live with Laura in that house? Do neither of them work? Questions questions? #richhousepoorhouse’

Business owner William hoped the swap would give him an insight into a different way of life. 

After arriving at Laura’s home he took a look around only to find a rent arrears letter next to a calculator on a desk. 

In the latest episode of the Channel 5 series, self-made millionaire William, from Bridlington, East Yorkshire, swapped lives with Laura and her partner Rob

Many to rush to the comments to suggest the scene looked staged and that the show was becoming predictable

However it wasn’t revealed if Laura’s partner contributed to the household bills or if he worked, which some of the viewers were quick to question

It prompted many to rush to the comments to suggest the scene looked staged and that the show was becoming predictable. 

One person wrote: ‘Just happened to leave out the rent arrears letter, and a calculator. #richhousepoorhouse

Another said: ‘Did she really leave a rent arrears letter on her drawers for the rich man to see. #richhousepoorhouse’

Someone else wrote: ‘ Unfortunately this show is now all staged #richhousepoorhouse’

A fourth wrote: ‘Should now be called staged #richhousepoorhouse, who leaves their bills and detail about ‘requirements’ to help them out. More lazy people who can’t be bothered to actually work for their success.’

Elsewhere William also discovered an unpaid TV licence letter in Laura’s home, which prompted him to pawn a mobile phone to pay off the debt. 

And his generosity didn’t stop there, because he also decided to fix up Laura’s garden in her rental property.

During their one-week life swap, Laura and Rob moved into the millionaire’s 12 bedroom-mansion – which boasts nine bathrooms, five reception rooms, a stately dining room, acres of land and a heated outdoor swimming pool

William discovered an unpaid TV licence letter in Laura’s home, which prompted him to pawn a mobile phone to pay off the debt

He said: ‘It is fabulous that Laura has this outside space, but it is a little bit of a lawn and while the inside has absolutely been made a home, I do feel the outside has been left wanting.

‘If there is somewhere that I can make a difference it’s in the garden, so I’m going to make that my mission.’

While Laura struggled to spend all of Williams £1,500 weekly budget, after going shopping and buying a laptop for future work prospects she had £600 left over, which she decided to use to clear her rent arrears. 

She said: ‘I decided to put my sensible hat on and decided to pay my outstanding rent, so when I go home I won’t have to worry about where that money is coming from.’ 

The episode finished with the pair meeting up to discuss the week and what they had both learned from it. 

While Laura struggled to spend all of Williams £1,500 weekly budget, after going shopping and buying a laptop for future work prospects she had £600 left over, which she decided to use to clear her rent arrears

William said he wanted to re-experience what it was like at the beginning stages of his business when he had nothing. 

He said: ‘Sometimes as you become more successful, there are luxuries that you lose, because there’s people, questions, jobs to be done, you do lose some of the space you have in your head.’

Laura explained that the process has helped her let go of her past struggles and look towards starting a career in the near future. 

She said: ‘I do want to be in a company that can support my growth and that I can see myself working for long term, but I have had jobs offered and soon as they hear I don’t drive it’s ”no thank you, we don’t want you”.

However William came up with a plan to help Laura launch her career, arranging a local driving instructor to give her ten lessons so she could start driving.

He added: ‘I will come down as well myself, to give you some lessons and to help as much as I can, it would be nice to get to know you better as well, we don’t live that far apart.’

Laura said: ‘That will completely change my life, no more buses! Thank you so much, that will literally change my life.’

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