CINCINNATI — A Hyde Park woman is living with buckets, tarps and growing frustration after a tree crashed through her roof during a spring storm, causing more than $50,000 in damage.
Dot Dervin has been waiting for repairs for three months, with contractors seemingly in no rush to fix her home despite being paid by her insurance company.
"I believe they see an old lady who lives by herself in the house, and they don't give a darn," Dervin said.
WATCH: Woman living with gaping hole in roof three months after tree fell
When I visited Dervin's home this week, it looked like the tree had just fallen through her roof. But the incident happened back in March.
"That's what it looked like ... it destroyed anything that was in there," she said while showing the damage.
Three months later, Dervin still has a gaping hole in her ceiling. A constant mechanical hum fills the house as water extraction machines work overtime.
She went with contractors her insurance company suggested, but progress has been minimal.
"The company was paid by the insurance company on the first of May," Dervin said.
But Dervin couldn't even get confirmation about the ordered roof trusses until June. Meanwhile, every rainfall brings a new indoor waterfall.
"It was frustrating," Dervin said. "I don't move very well, and I had to drag out a ladder to put the bucket on top of the fridge to catch the drip."
She said cost estimates keep shifting with no explanation.
"The numbers keep changing," Dervin said. "Nobody can tell me why. Nothing's changed but the rain in my house."
When she asks about timelines, Dervin said she gets the runaround.
"I'm sure if you talk to them, they'll say, 'Well, we've ordered the trusses,'" Dervin said.
Dervin is considering taking legal action, so she didn't want me to reach out to the companies right now; however, she wanted to share her story to help others.
"Watch from the very beginning and don't be afraid to keep on buggin' 'em. It didn't do me any good, but maybe it would for them," Dervin said.
How to protect yourself from contractor delays
The Ohio Department of Insurance offers several recommendations to protect yourself:
- Understand your policy details before disaster strikes
- Request payment timelines in writing during claims
- Get multiple estimates when selecting contractors
- Check the Better Business Bureau before hiring
- Always pay by check or credit card — creating a paper trail that cash can't provide
- Never pay in full until the job is complete and you're satisfied
If you suspect fraud, contact the Ohio Department of Insurance Fraud Hotline. Don't forget the power of a formal complaint with the Better Business Bureau, which sometimes is enough to get contractors moving again.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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