Exactly! Leave more cash than the ladder's worth and move on.

The contract nerds would demand a notarized agreement and three witnesses while the kid's hanging off a roof. "But what if the owner doesn't consent to this specific price point??"

Meanwhile normal humans understand that emergencies create exceptions. You can sort out the paperwork after you've prevented a tragedy.

These people treat property rights like religious commandments instead of practical tools for organizing society. Sometimes the tool doesn't fit the job.