Hello.
I'm considering a two year visa for a uk citizen which would mean leaving the country every 3 months. Does anyone have any experience of renting an apartment on this visa? Does it make a difference? I prefer directly renting from the landlord.
Thanks

I don't remember landlord or even agency ever checking my visa, or even passport more than to copy the passport number to the papers.

So I'd say it does not make a difference.

But you may need to pay 12 or 6 months upfront regardless of visa.

check the conditions of your visa carefully. the tourist visa only allows 6 months stay over a 2 year period

Your visa shouldn't make any difference in renting a house from a landlord or registering your address.

You can pay the landlord as often as you are able to negotiate. How often that is depends on your agreement. Monthly and quarterly are not out of the question. Its a renter's market, there's no shortage of empty flats about Kunming. If you end up paying a whole years rent in one pop consider yourself spasticated.

@Haali Could you tell us where we can check the conditions of the tourist visa?

Sorry I can't, since there are so many factors. In your OP you didn't even mention your visa type.

Since you are still only considering the visa, I suggest you carefully study everything you can find.

Either way it is irrelevant to the renting issue. I guess even tourists coming to country for 1 month can rent apartment if they come to agreement with landlord about payments.

@Haali. Let me rephrase the question: Where did you see the rule regarding the two year tourist visa that restricts the holder to a maximum stay of six months over the two years?

I've never read it but it always seems to be a given the way some people talk about their visas on here.

@janjal the 2 year visas offered to UK residents are business or tourist. In the past I had a work visa and therefore a residency permit so there was never an issue registering with thr PSB (which I am always called out on if I don't do it voluntarily, contrary to what other people have experienced)

I know the landlord doesn't care as they've got their money but does the PSB?. I should have made that clearer in the OP. Many apologies

I have understood that this arrangement between UK and China is about China matching offering that UK has for Chinese visitors (with up to 10 year visitor visa).

The rules for the equivalent UK visa mention this under "can't do":

"live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent visits"

(source: www.gov.uk/standard-visitor-visa)

I would assume that China is matching that limitation as well, but I do not have direct information.