EAST NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Evelyn Henley and her husband haven't been able to sleep in their home in months.
A burst pipe during January's ice storm forced them into insurance-covered housing, and a growing list of delays keeps pushing back their return date.
"My house has been empty for so long you've got spider webs," said Evelyn Henley. "More spiders living here than me."
The pipe burst during January's ice storm, causing widespread damage to the home she has owned since 2001. In March, Allstate handed insurance money over to a restoration company, but by May, the builder still hadn't pulled permits and repairs hadn't started.
After her first interview, Henley received a project timeline. But the progress stalled again.
"Yeah, welcome back. As you can see, two months ago, it looks the same as it did the first time," Henley said.
Now, older electrical wiring in the home is causing another delay. Because this is a major renovation, Metro code requires the home's electrical system to be brought up to current standards before framing and other work can begin.
"Allstate says it's my [responsibility] because it wasn't damaged by the ice storm, so I had to hire someone to give me a whole brand new box," Henley said.
Before repairs can move forward, the Henleys have to pay for and complete the electrical work on their own. Once it passes inspection, the rehab can resume.
As of July 8, the Henleys are now in their fourth rental property since being displaced. Allstate provided a project timeline in May showing a work start date of May 19, 2026, and an estimated completion date of July 31, 2026.
I reached out to Allstate on July 8 asking whether the July 31 completion date still stands and what options are available to policyholders when projected completion dates continue to shift. Allstate did not respond to the question, instead saying, "We remain in communication with the customer as we address the claim according to their policy."
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