I have learned my lesson and want to warn you all about the importance of doing a final walk through after a home inspection. I have had two bad experiences and have since moved on to use a different inspector. The first mishap went like this...
The seller phoned me to inform me that the refrigerator had leaked water onto the kitchen floor and had ruined several bamboo floorboards. She claimed that the only people that were in the house were the inspector and I. I relayed the message back to the inspector who claimed there was no way that he did it. The seller claimed that he must of overflowed the tray when testing the water dispenser on the refrigerator. The seller was angry and wanted the floors fixed. Since the inspector would take no responsibility, I decided to come out of pocket to save the deal.
The second mishap was somewhat similar (both fridge related) and once again the same inspector took no fault. The seller's agent, of a different home, called me to inform me that the refrigerator was turned off and that all of their food spoiled. Obviously they were very unhappy and again I relayed the message to the inspector who again claimed there was no way it was him.
SO THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS: Always do a final walk-through after a home inspection.
**I have since began working with another inspection company and am happy with the change.
Guess what, this same thing happened to me. I too said no way I could have done that, I didn't touch the freezer in the garage. But then I promptly went to the house, looked at the freezer, which was still off (the owner couldn't figure out how to turn it back on) but it was empty. Then I slapped myself as I realized this freezer was on a GFCI circuit I had tested. I must have tripped it when I removed my old tester (got a new one now where it's a lot less likely to happen) I turned to the owner and said, yes, I did it what was in there and how much was it. Of course it was like 20 T-Bones, some fillet mignon and stuff like that. I asked if I could have the meet as I would give it to my dogs (I don't have a dog) but of course he threw it out, and not in his can cause that would stink too much but down at the grocery store dumpster.
I messed up, but I also got taken advantage of. I paid him $500 which he said still didn't cover it but would be enough. And boy do I make sure every GFCI is reset now.
Sorry to resurrect an old thread but I would like to address something mentioned in the thread.
GFCI outlets are designed to provide protection against electrocution. I see many garage refrigerators and freezers that are plugged into a GFCI-protected outlet. Without getting into how a GFCI outlet works suffice it to say that it is very easy for a GFCI outlet to trip when the compressor on a refrigerator or freezer kicks on. Usually the first indication that a garage refrigerator or freezer has tripped a GFCI outlet is the smell of rotting food (unless the tripped GFCI outlet is on the same circuit as other frequently-used outlets, e.g., bathroom outlets).
Don't be too quick to blame the home inspector for spoiled food in a garage refrigerator or freezer that is plugged into an outlet with GFCI protection. (The "last man in" theory that the last person who touched something that has since failed must be to blame is not always correct.)
I always recommend in my reports that garage refrigerators and freezers be plugged into a non-GFCI-protected outlet and that the outlet be labled "Not GFCI Protected".