Landlord repaints half the staircase after a tenant moves out, but leaves the other side untouched: ‘Next level petty ngl’

A TikTok video shared by the account Ailixy | Rental Notices (@getailixy) appears to show a residential staircase where only one side has been freshly painted after a neighbor moved out. The post has drawn significant attention, gathering 865,600 views and 23,400 likes.

In the TikTok video, the camera first focuses on a brown paper sign taped with blue painter’s tape to a wall beside the stairs. The handwritten sign in black marker reads, “CAREFUL WET PAINT!!!” The footage then pans upward along the staircase, revealing a clear difference between the two sides. On-screen text in the clip states, “POV: your neighbour moves out and the landlord only repaints her side of the stairs for new tenants.” 

From the viewer’s perspective, the left side of the stairs looks clean and bright white, while the right side remains dull, marked with scuffs, and shows signs of wear. A handwritten number “14” is visible on one of the unpainted steps. The uneven paint job continues onto the landing at the top, where the floor leading to one door appears clean, and the area leading to the neighboring door looks soiled.

Viewers respond to the selective staircase painting shown in the clip

The account’s caption asks, “Would you repaint the entire staircase, or is repainting only one side enough for the next tenant?” It includes hashtags related to landlord and tenant issues and encourages likes and follows for more rental stories.

The video highlights the sharp line where the new paint stops on each step, making the contrast between the freshly painted section and the older surface stand out as the camera moves higher. Landlord-tenant disputes often spark debate online, such as when a renter finds her landlord locked the AC thermostat inside a box. 

One commenter described the situation as “Next level petty ngl.” Another suggested a practical reason for the approach, writing that they might paint half, let it dry, then paint the other half so the stairs can still be used. 

A different viewer questioned the authenticity of the scene and wrote, “Please tell me you are rage baiting.” Someone else offered a skeptical take, stating, “Maybe this is a joke, and she does have a common sense.” Additional reactions focused on the stairs’ usability during the process.

One person commented, “Walk on it.” Another added, “I’d also like to keep using the stairs. Oh look, I can.” The comments reflect a mix of reactions to the apparent decision to paint only part of the shared staircase while leaving the rest untouched. Such landlord-tenant disputes often hinge on unexpected charges, such as when a Georgia landlord added $50 monthly pet rent after spotting a hamster cage during an inspection.