To set the scene, the parents from the family next door don't acknowledge us at all, and haven't done since they moved in during the night a few months ago. I smile or say hello if I pass them in the street with no expectation of a response.
The younger kids are unbelievably noisy in the garden. Epic tantrums, loud ball games, screaming and bouncing on the trampoline until it gets too dark to see. Their ages are 7-15 ish. The eldest is the only one who's ever spoken to us and, to be fair, was polite when I once asked them to try and avoid kicking their hard ball against our fence as it's chipping it.
I can live with all of that, thanks to noise cancelling headphones in the garden and the knowledge from another neighbour that they're planning to relocate shortly. The rest of the road is great. Our houses are thankfully detached. My own dcs are older and not bothered about engaging with them.
Today I was pruning at the end of our garden, which is about 40 ft long and a bit jungle-like at the end. There I found a ladder, which is not ours, propped up against our side of the shared fence. I've never seen it before. It was not there earlier this year. It looks like it's originally come from some play equipment.
I am friends with our previous neighbour so I pinged them a message just to check if they recognised it. Nope. I can't imagine the people who adjoin us both behind the back fences would have put it there as they'd have absolutely no reason to.
There's no real explanation other than next door have put it there in order to access their garden from ours. We own the fence so it's smooth and unclimbable on our side.
Given they don't acknowledge us, and even if they did, surely this is just creepy and intrusive? Have now removed the ladder, locked it in my garage and posted a note through their door as they've been out all day. If it is theirs, It won't be returned without an explanation or I'll be tipping it later in the week.