Insurance approved $15K for a new roof, but the company charged more than double and is now suing her for the difference

Last year, over 1,800 Polk County homeowners received foreclosure notices. Sarah Taylor, a 73-year-old cancer survivor who has never missed a mortgage payment, never imagined she’d be among them.

But now, Taylor is fighting to keep the Kathleen-area ranch house she’s called home since 1987 — after a roofing company filed a lien and moved to foreclose.

Her troubles began with a knock at the door.

A Promise That Fell Short

In the summer of 2023, a team from Florida Roof Specialists, based in Jacksonville, canvassed Taylor’s neighborhood, offering free roof inspections. Needing a new roof, Taylor accepted. She recalls specifically asking a young salesman whether she’d owe anything beyond her $1,000 deductible.

“He said, ‘No, it will be covered completely by your insurance,’” she told WUSF.

But the company later charged $36,879 — more than twice the $15,149 her insurer, Hartford Insurance, approved. Taylor sent the insurance check directly to the company, believing it would cover the full cost. The roof was installed in December.

Now, she’s being sued for the remaining $21,774 — the company’s bill minus the insurance payment — plus interest and legal fees.

A Growing Pattern

Taylor’s case isn’t isolated. Florida Roof Specialists has filed at least 19 lawsuits against Polk County homeowners in the past two years, seeking payment through foreclosure. The Better Business Bureau, which gave the company a D+ rating, cites a “pattern of complaints.” So far, 38 people have filed complaints with the BBB, and 61 more have gone to the Florida Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division — which confirmed it is actively investigating the company, along with other suspicious contractors.

Financial Tightrope

Living on Social Security, Taylor carefully manages her budget. Between chemotherapy, medications, and limited food assistance — now just $23 a month — she’s used to making sacrifices. “I haven’t used my air or heat in six years,” she said. “If I had known I’d be stuck with a bill like this, I never would’ve agreed. No way.”

The case is set for trial in May 2026 under the 10th Judicial Circuit’s “streamlined” process. Taylor said a Legal Aid attorney assured her she was not alone.

“He told me, ‘This company’s been doing this to a lot of seniors and to people who don’t speak English well,’” she said.

Still, she’s afraid. In similar cases, Polk County judges have ordered elderly residents’ homes sold — including one Haines City man who avoided foreclosure only by borrowing money at the last minute.

Taylor’s case remains pending. Mediation has resolved a few of the lawsuits. But for most — including hers — the fight is far from over.

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To report a business complaint:

• Call: 1-866-NO-SCAM (Florida Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division)
  
• Online complaint: Submit here
  
• BBB complaint form: File here

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