When you are friends with your neighbors, it is pretty common to borrow things from each other from time to time, but it is best to ask before doing it.

What would you do if your neighbors were out of town and you needed some extra chairs for a party you were having, so you went and borrowed his patio furniture for the day?

That is what the neighbor in this story did, and when the guy got home, he was very upset that he did this without asking and banned him from his yard.

AITAH for borrowing my neighbors patio furniture for a party??

Everyone involved is in their 50s.

Sounds like a good time.

I hosted a big backyard get together last weekend for my wife’s birthday, about 30 people. We live in a suburban neighborhood where most houses have good sized yards. Everyone in the neighborhood has a friendly relationship but not necessarily super close.

My next-door neighbor named Glen travels a lot for work. His backyard is really nice, really nice patio furniture, umbrellas, propane firepit, etc.

Being friendly with the neighbors is always nice.

I’ve complimented it before and helped him haul the furniture in once during a storm, so I feel like we’re on good terms.

He’s also borrowed shovels, rakes, etc. we’ve had in the yard when we weren’t home, letting us know later. No problem, no biggie.

This is going to be a problem.

The day before the party, I realized we didn’t have enough seating. Rental companies were all booked (first nice weekend of spring here), and we didn’t want people standing around.

Glen was out of town (car gone, lights were off for days), and his gate was unlocked.

That’s quite an assumption for something like patio furniture.

I figured it wouldn’t be a huge deal to temporarily move a few of his chairs and one of his smaller tables into our yard for the party, to be returned ASAP.

We took care not to damage anything, wiped it all down afterwards and put it back exactly where it was the next morning (or so I thought, must not have been exactly where though for what follows). I didn’t think anything of it.

Some people really don’t like their stuff being used without permission.

Monday, Glen knocked on my door looking pissed. He asked if we’d taken his stuff. I told him we had, explained why, emphasized that nothing was harmed (and that obviously we would have asked if he was home).

He told me that was completely out of line and I quote “a massive invasion of his property” even though nothing was broken/missing.

Hopefully he started with an apology.

I tried to smooth things over, said it wasn’t like we were strangers and that if the roles were reversed (as in the past with things he’d borrowed when we weren’t around), I wouldn’t have cared.

He said that was irrelevant and now he doesn’t want us on his property at all. My wife and I think he’s being dramatic, but obviously he’s upset for a reason so maybe there’s something I’m not seeing.

AITA?

There is quite a difference between using a shovel and using a full patio furniture set. He really should have talked to the guy first.

Let’s see what the people in the comments have to say about this situation.

If he doesn’t have their number, they aren’t close enough friends to take their patio furniture.

Going on someone’s property without permission is not ok.

It could even be considered theft.

This really sums it up nicely.

Borrowing patio furniture is a big deal.

He really should have gotten permission first.

If you liked that post, check out this post about a rude customer who got exactly what they wanted in their pizza.