Scarborough home left in ruins after contractor vanishes with initial payment

The house is in shambles, and to see the reason why, all you need to do is look up. It's terrible. I mean, are you kidding? I don't sleep. Like, I don't know what to do. Katie Semple says it all started last spring. Her 76-year-old uncle, Lawrence Wang, who wasn't comfortable being on camera, answered a knock at the door. A man told him if he didn't replace his roof, the city would condemn his home. Wang paid $25,000 up front. He tried to pay another $64,000, but the bank, suspecting fraud, prevented payment, and the work stopped. They left. Never heard from the contractors again, the roofers again. No roof since early June. Four months completely exposed to rain, wind, rodents and mold. All belongings now ruined. The family and CBC tried to contact the numbers on the work contract. One was a wrong number, the other was disconnected, and emails to the company bounced back as undeliverable. Police are now investigating and offering advice. Personally, as a citizen, I wouldn't hire anybody who knocks on my door. Wang's insurance company initially refused to cover any of Wang's expenses. TD Insurance told CBC it couldn't discuss the case, citing privacy concerns, but it has since agreed to pay for the home's contents, but not the roof. Meanwhile, the house is uninhabitable. Lawrence Wang is living in a motel, and it's not clear whether he'll ever be able to call this house his home once again. Mike Smee, CBC News, Toronto.