House Rules rates just 784,000 for Seven

The second outing of Seven’s House Rules dropped to 784,000 metro viewers last night, leaving the network facing increasing questions about whether the new renovation show will be capable of competing with Nine’s The Block.

Last night The Block rated 1.062m, fourth most watched show of the night, according to preliminary overnight ratings from OzTAM. House Rules was 11th, only just ahead of an episode of Modern Family on Ten which rated 719,000.

House Rules made its debut on Tuesday night when it rated 803,000. Ten’s attempt to dislodge The Block, The Renovators, averaged 939,000 viewers on its first airing in 2011 and was considered a failure.

Ten had its own woes last night with the final episode of Mr & Mrs Murder rating just 454,000.