The neighbor who lends a ladder has trusted you with both an object and its return.

Lending is a two-part transaction and only the first part is visible. Handing something over says they think you will look after it, and the second half, the bit that decides everything afterwards, is whether it comes back in good condition without being chased. Neighbourly trust is built and spent almost entirely in that second half.

If you borrow anything, agree a return day at the moment you take it and beat that day. Bring it back clean. Small reliability of this kind is what makes the next request easy for both of you, and unreliability makes the next request never happen.