I’m so glad I found this thread as it makes me feel better knowing we’re not alone!
On our current sit and the toaster stopped working; was fine one day and the following day it didn’t work. We’ve checked / replaced the fuse and it’s still not working.
I will message the HO about it and feel obligated to replace it even though we didn’t do anything to cause it to break.
I would class this as general wear and tear and could have happened at anytime?
On the sit I just completed, I was cleaning the gas cook top, which is very similar to my own.
I always check the gas burners after cleaning.
Well…2 of the 5 burners “clicked” but would not light.
When I texted with the HO later that evening, I let her know.
I feel it’s better just to deal with stuff upfront.
She said the burners need to fully dry before they light again.
I forgot about it as I finished cleaning and left without checking them again.
This doesn’t seem to be your problem, but I had a toaster break on a sit too. I went to several stores from one end of the city to the other searching for the identical toaster --that they no longer made. I finally settled on one, brought it home and it didn’t work either! Eventually I realized that when I was cleaning, I had unplugged the toaster from the top of the outlet and plugged it back into the bottom. It turned out to be an outlet problem the HO were not even aware of. So back I went to return the toaster I had bought.
Another client of mine had a broken electric pencil sharpener, so I took it apart to see if I could repair it.
I could not get that thing back together, so, even though said client, and my best friend, at that time, had just sold her company for $91 million dollars, I went and bought her a new $38. electric pencil sharpener I did not break, and she let me.
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I am impressed AND inspired! Thank you for this story.
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I am reading all these moments, gripping my face with both hands, horrified, imagining if it was me. I am SO careful, and these things are so uncomfy for me, when they do happen. It reminds me of the time I drove to my best friend’s wedding in California. I live din NYC at the time, so borrowed my mom’s convertible Jaguar. Top down, dressed up, off I went, only to discover after an hour of driving that the entire back glass window was shattered. I was horrified, having no idea what I have done, or how I had done it. I spent that entire day knowing I had to repair the expensive window, and just so upset knowing my mom trusted me, and…ugh.
She just laughed, “Oh it was already broken.”
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Oh - the details of caring for a new house, often. Amazing. I am with you on integrity, and I am celebrating your miracle! Now, I need my own tiny screwdriver, I see! Thank you for this.
My story: 1997, Bel Air, California,
I was putting away dishes for a client who I was an Exec. Asst. for; a very wealthy someone.
And, somehow, a tall, elegant, crystal glass got a chip. I forget exactly how, but it was not chipped prior to my putting it away, so, I took it with me and off I went to Tiffany’s and replaced it.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<$158.00>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
My face is squinched up, even now, just thinking about that.
I love the feeling of being accountable. It is priceless.
On a sit last summer I was driving a car loaned by the hosts to take the dogs to a good dog walking place. On one trip i clipped the kurb and sctatched the wheel hub. I was mortified that I had damaged our hosts fancy BMW convertible (1 or 3 cars he owned) Anyway I suffered for 2 days- till the hosts got back- dreading the moment I’d have to confess- but when I showed him he just laughed and said ‘look at the back wheel that I, myself, damaged’ and I saw (for the first time!) a scrape 10 times bigger than mine! He just said ‘this is now my daughters practise car- don’t worry at all!’ I was sooo relieved!! 
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A glass that had the name of the town we were staying in on it. It was the only one in the home, so my husband googled it and found it on an Etsy store and emailed them.
The man on the Etsy shop happened to be the store owner and directed us to his shop in the same town.
We went to collect it and met his wife in the store and they even recognised the dog that we were caring for as she had been in the store a few times previously.
We ended up having a lovely chat with them about the area (they had lived there all of their lives) It was a lovely hour or so. Got many recommendations.
When the owner got back she said we should not have worried about it, but was still pleased.
My next one is that we bring a kettle with us as I am a hot water bottle fan and my husband loves tea. My husband prefers to ones that heat on the stove to the electric ones. The owner also had one of these, so we did not unpack ours this time.
Imagine my horror when we lit the gas ring and it melted the plastic cover at the end of the nozzle.
Quickly googled and ordered a new one (it was a pretty fancy one) so that it arrived before they returned. The owners were really happy but said they had done the same and it was already a bit melted previously, so we didn’t feel so bad.
But my blood does run cold if ever something like that happens.
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A Rubber spatular incident … all of mine (purchased in the States or Canada) are heat proof, great in a non stick pan, especially cooking scrambled eggs. So imagine my horror when making some eggs the second day of the sit, the spatular started melting in the eggs … Oh no it’s NOT heat proof!!
Googled the size and make (USA only, I’m in Edinburgh, Scotland) went to order but delivery was post owner’s return, ordered anyway, the most expensive spatula I have ever bought.
The owners “scolded” me for replacing their slightly re-designed one and said you should not have done that I have more in my spatular store. 
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@Angela_L
We had a similar spatula incident while sitting in Edinburgh and used it for making curry which then stained it badly. Everything in the kitchen looked brand new so felt we needed to replace. Luckily after extensive research found it was stocked in an expensive kitchen store close by. I never realized spatulas could be so expensive but we still have the ‘stained’ one that is no longer stained and use it all the time 
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There are non-heat proof spatulas?! That’s news to me! What is the point of them?
I haven’t broken anything thus far! I plan to keep it that way!
Hi @FreeSpiritManette the difference is whether they are rubber or silicone …
What is the difference between a rubber spatula and a silicone spatula?
“Today, spatulas made from silicone are even more useful than the rubber ones, since silicone can withstand high heat. Besides using silicone spatulas for mixing brownie batter, you can use them for mixing your scrambled eggs as they cook or stirring a pot of soup on the stove.” Source: https://www.thespruceeats.com/
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Two words: The Necklace (by Guy de Maupassant
Two words: The Necklace
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Wow @mars! What a great story (and so sad). You, my dear, are now the official Book Selector for the book club! I will follow you anywhere and read whatever you suggest!
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Gulp, this thread!
Knock wood. I’ve escaped so far, because I don’t cook, don’t make coffee, don’t watch TV. If there’s anything that looks expensive, I won’t be using it. Even when I’m offered a car, I use it only for essentials, and not at all if I can order or walk for groceries and such.