To oil my neighbour's gate

[digggers]

My neighbour's gate squeaks. Has done for months, and it often wakes me up at night (they seem to come back home in the small hours alot). So the other night I just went out and oiled it. Now it doesn't squeak, I'm no longer disturbed and no dispute was had.

My boyfriend thinks that what I did was wrong though, that I should've asked them before oiling their gate and that they are probably annoyed. Do you think this is true?

'young and foolish' should have read 'young foolish and pissed' btw.

Eek tooposhtopost! That would have freaked me out!

Someone oiled my friend's gate. She is livid. It was her early warning system of visitors and escaping children!

Oiling gate is fine. Asking them if you can oil it sounds a bit passive aggressive to me, as though you are complaining they haven't oiled it but won't complain properly.

Well there's been no more banging, so I presume all is well.

I'm surprised at the number of folk who like to have a squeaky gate though, don't you care you could be disturbing your neighbours?

Mind you I didn't once have a gate that sounded like the intro to bob marley's lively up yourself, and couldn't bring myself to oil it because tWas funny. Detached cottage with no neighbours though, so no one to annoy.