but funny stuff aside, this is the only kinda thing I'd feel OK with if considering leasing to this guy.
Yes u can rent on a tourist visa. Just don't tell
the landlord u are a tourist. Some
might ask for proof of employment but most will not.
Most landlords will want 2 months deposit. This is negotiable though and some might accept one month deposit. Most will want a year min lease but others might agree to a half year or even monthly.
Like others have said I would suggest u consider flat sharing. Can be quite fun. I shared with a dj when I first came to hk. He was always bring people over after the clubs closed which was quite fun. If u get a ok job u can even consider buying if u find u like hk so much u want to make it your home.
Thanks for all the replies. I have friends there but I am trying not to have to share with them.
I was going to recommend some serviced apartments my friend stayed in a couple of years ago (he was here for 3 months, no he isn't a resident). This is the reply he sent to me, maybe it will be some help to you:
Yes Inn (Hong Kong Hostel - Yesinn Hostel Hong Kong | YESinSPACE Serviced Apartment Hong Kong | Yesinn Hotel Shang hai China) - but they weren't so cheap, about 10k a month, much less if you took them for six months or a year. They were also brand new, so don't know how they will have aged.
I think it was 200 sq ft; just a room with bathroom (toilet shower sink, decent space for HK but on the small side otherwise), bed, IKEA clothes frame, desk, TV and "kitchenette" (see below). All modern but basic. No blackout curtains, which was problematic given the amount of night-time neon nearby.
Most cheap and mid-range hotels give about fifty percent discounts if you stay a month too, so unless you need the extra metre or two space and a kitchen sink with draining board, might do better there.
75 K all in, no job....the ad is very tempting for the prospective landlord ;-)
More seriously forget about renting a flat until you get a job.
If you rent a flat you will have all the troubles of paying the deposit, spending time doing all the necessary paperwork for water, electricity....
Get a room in a shared flat for the first few months, until you get a job, then you can rent a flat.