To ask how to approach this - house-sitting and broken appliance

[Newyearnewname20]

Just want to caveat this by saying I may be over thinking this! It’s not the most ideal situation, but equally realise it’s not the end of the world.

I’m house sitting atm for a couple of weeks, and have done something a bit silly - went to put something in one of the freezers and door handle broke off 😳 I don’t think I pulled the handle particularly hard when opening the door, and am a bit shocked (have been house sitting/pet sitting professionally for a good few years now, and always aim to be v careful around people’s things in the houses I’m looking after).

I tried to put the handle back on, but it’s sheared off completely. Have since contacted a few handymen in the area to see if they can help, and been advised I’ll likely need to get a new handle.

Just wondering now to approach this with people I’m house sitting for. I want to be open with them about the situation, and will be very apologetic of course, and can offer to cover the costs of the handle (seems reasonable when I’ve checked the cost online), and the labour costs of actually fitting it. Does that sound reasonable, as it was my mistake?

I guess I’m a bit unsure here, because on one hand, the handle came off reasonably easily (I didn’t tug particularly hard for it to come off), so unsure how much of it is just down to me? On the other hand, these are new house sitting clients, I’m keen to make a good impression with them and to show I’m professional and leave their house in good condition.

Also, I’m unsure about whether I should book a repairman in or if I should just let the clients know I’ve made enquiries and outline a few costs and say I’m happy to cover them. I don’t want the clients to feel I’m overstepping the mark if I book a repair person and get them to come over and do the job, and only then mention it to the clients.

My feeling is I update the clients on the situation and say I’m happy to cover or contribute to costs of new handle and fitting costs.

Grateful for any other thoughts, and thanks all!

I would prefer you to leave a repair person to me to organise or at least let me have the choice

If you book a repair person and they do a bad job you end up in a worse position than you are now

Plus for all you know the owner might go 'oh that happens all the time and we just super glue it back on' or something like that

Exactly what your gut instinct says. They may even tell you it was already broken.

If you house-sit professionally do you have some kind of insurance that covers stuff like this? No idea if that’s even a thing but my dogsitter has to have insurance so I assume it would be a similar thing.

I think I’d message and say what happened, that you’ve made enquiries about getting it fixed, and that you’re happy to cover the cost, then ask them how they want to proceed.

If you were my housesitter I wouldn’t let you pay for it as it sounds like one of those things that would probably have happened to them in the next few days if you hadn’t been there. But as you want to make a good impression I think that would be the best thing to do, to at least offer.

I would just tell them and see what they say. It's possible it was a bit loose anyway or had been repaired before. You were just opening the door, not swinging off it so I'd class it as wear and tear.

Ring them, tell them what’s happened and ask what they’d like you to do.

Thanks everyone, I agree with your suggestions.

This might sound a bit silly, but the clients have several fridges/freezers, and I’m just a bit paranoid they’ll ask why I didn’t use another one instead of the one I opened? Maybe that is a bit too much over-thinking!

I don’t have insurance that I set up myself FireWoman, but it’s covered through the website I house-sit through (I pay the site a fee, and they then cover insurance).

Unless they warned you there was an issue with that handle then how would you know which one to use?

I think maybe you are overthinking this a bit, which is understandable if they are a new client. But the reality is these things happen, you have insurance via the website if its a bigger issue than is obvious. You just need to let them know and let them decide what to do.

Send a photo immediately. Very sorry but I opened freezer and handle fell off.

They may already know about it being loose. they may not want it replaced. they may want it repaired by somebody they know. don't do or say anything until you've heard back from them.

Let them know what happened and make clear you're happy to pay for a new one and someone to fix it if necessary.
I think it's likely they'll say 'Happens all the time, don't worry about it' rather than going nuclear.

Ring the owners and explain what happened, and send photos/a written "report" as well (always put these things in writing!).

Ask what they want you to do - organise a repair now, or wait until they get back. Obviously say you'll pay - your insurance should cover things like this anyway.

This will suffice, don’t offer payment in advance. If it comes to it, your insurance may pay out, but just wait to hear what they say. It’s an accident, so don’t worry about it too much. These things happen.

Don't offer to pay in advance
Just message and explain what has happened

We recently inherited a freezer and the same thing has happened
At some point a crack developed
A few weeks later the whole handle came off in my hand

It's an easy fix probably. Have you Googled to see how much the replacement part is? Not the kind of thing you'd trouble insurance for. Probably cost less than the excess to fix.

Just tell them.

We have house/ pet sitters often. It wouldn’t bother me at all as it’s just life and stuff like that happens.
I would either tell you its happen before, or it’s old and leave it, or if it’s new I would just contact supplier directly myself and get a repair booked.

I wouldn’t expect payment from you unless you really mistreated something or broke something on purpose. Not a fridge door

Argh just looked at the site to check again about the insurance and it only covers things related to pet sitting rather than house sitting annoyingly.

Thanks Caspian, that’s so reassuring ❤️😊

Yeah I have and it’s about £20, so pretty reasonable

At that price, it may be good to offer to pay, for goodwill

But I'm surprised you don't have insurance for accidental damage you might cause when housesitting

First, if you are self employed, then I recommend that you get Public Liability Insurance so that you are covered for all damages and breakages etc. It doesn't have to cost a lot , just shop around. Although in small costs the excess could be more than just paying for it, but just imagine if you broke something bigger like a TV.

I am an accountant and I always recommend to clients that they have this insurance to cover themselves. I have it in case I throw coffee over a clients laptop when working in their office or something .

Secondly, I would just email them and say that you have broken the handle, that you will of course cover the cost of replacing it, and would they like you to sort it out before they come back, or would they prefer to sort it themselves when they are back.

Your instinct is right OP. Don't go behind their backs, or let someone in to repair without their knowledge. Just let them know what happened - it could happen to anyone and they should recognise that. Ask if they would like you to get someone in to repair it. You will feel better if you know that it is all above board.

Personally as a sitter I would offer to pay the cost of the replacement and fitting.

If I was the client, unless the freezer was brand new or something, I would tell you that you needn't pay and that we would take care of it, but I would appreciate you being up front and offering ifyswim!

Is there any reason younthinkntheybwoukdvthinknyouvshoujd have used a different freezer? Is there one in the kitchen & this is a chest freezer in the basement for example? Were you checking for hidden bodies?

if it was a freezer a house sitter would reasonably use then I'd just email them with a photo saying you were just putting your frozen peas in the freezer & the handle came off in your hand. Sorry & would they like you to organise the repair.

if you were housesitting at mine & it was the kitchen freezer I'd say not to worry about it (I'd get into it myself when I got back) but if it was the chest freezer in the locked shed, I'd wonder WTAF, you were doing! But I'd still say to leave it as I'd rather take care of it myself.

I'd probably be irrationally annoyed to find out you'd had someone in to replace it. But that would be irrational & my problem too.

”Hi so sorry, freezer handle came off in my hand” insert pic.
Then wait for a reply.