I think I've been really lucky to have some great landlords and landladies here. I have heard horror stories from others though.

When dealing with landlords ask them to get a bankbook for the elect, water and gas bill. If they refuse or make excuses, then I know they are not good people and are just looking to rent their slum and get money and will never fix or help you if you encounter any problems.

1. There's no limit to how many people they can fit in a bus. Umm helloooo! Health and safety? Whoops, I forgot we're in China. No health and safety here!

2. The majority of Kunming taxi drivers.

Two minor things.. I love Kunming! : )

I could add the pissing/spitting/shitting everywhere, but that is not Kunming specific, so yeah. Also, it's not so bad as in other cities I've lived in China.

Hfcampo, just sent you a pm.

I too am annoyed by the nearly continuous and obviously unbelievable and unbelieved propaganda about how everything is good except the stuff we have defined for you as being bad. Which includes people - seems there are 'good people' and 'bad people', but little understanding of the fact that both good & bad are nearly always the results of action by ordinary people.

As for landlords, I've been very lucky - no hassles at all, and genuinely friendly relations. Quite surprising in a sector based on profits for simple ownership.

I've never had problems with taxis or taxi drivers in over 10 years here - no, I don't know any secrets or how this happens, although I've certainly seen other foreigners with suspicions or attitudes that, one way or another, seem to lead to problems - and yes, I'm sure that there are cabbies who have such suspicions & attitudes as well - somewhere - I guess. It's all usually a pretty simple operation: I get in the cab, tell him where I want to go, occasionally chat with the driver, he takes me where I want to go and I pay him, and have perhaps been overcharged by 1-2 rmb a total of 2-3 times, in 10 years. REALLY BAD, but I think I can live with it.

This happens everywhere. In New York, taxi drivers tamper with the meters to get more out of you. This is the price you pay for things that you can't control. For example, if you take the bus, the fare is set so the bus driver can never cheat you. A taxi has a meter which can be tampered with. Same goes with buying anything that has to be weighed like meat and vegetables. You know must rigged the machines. Hell, they even put water in the meat to make it heaver. That's how life is. You have to pick your battles.

"You have to pick your battles" - well said.

After living for 2 years on the same apt in Chenggong and having to move out, my landlord came and noticed one of the internal door keys was missing. His solution? Replace the whole lock = 300 Rmb

He also noticed there was a minor crack on the bathroom porcelain sink. His solution? Replace the whole sink= 600 RMB. I told my chinese friend who was helping me that he had to be joking.

I then got a professional to replace the lock for 60 rmb and the landlord said the lock's quality was not good... I told him that I was offered 3 diff locks (40,50,60RMB) and got the best one. Even so, he wouldn't let the guy then change the lock, I had to raise my voice and convince him I wasn't stupid. Then when the old lock was out, it looked like one of those 40RMB junk ones. The guy should be ashamed for wanting to charge me 300 rmb.

Then we started negotiating the sink, I told him that he could just repair it or I could get someone to repair the crack with a quick drying liquid preparation. The guy was complaining like hell and it had to get a new one. I told him it was cracked because he bought a low quality sink, with the porcelain thinner than paper, and thats why it cracked and therefore I was not responsible for buying a new one. I dumbly agreed to pay 200 RMB for him to help him replace it for a new one. The next day when I came to pick up a few things I had forgotten I saw him using a cheap 10 rmb bind liquid to put the crack together.

He then said the apt was too dirty and that he wanted 100 Rmb to hire someone to clean it. Well, I had spent 3 days cleaning the apt, so I just said I was gonna call the police. That was the end of it, he backed off like his ass was on fire.

This could happen anywhere in China, but I lived in Jiangsu for 2 years in several apts and never got into such a situation.

I'm not the complaining type, in fact I hate people who are always complaining... but if I had to change anything here in KMG I would rather it not being the smoking center of the world, with people puffing smoke in your face whenever you are walking on the street. During the daytime you can use sunglasses to block it, but what about at night?

I hear ya!. I hear ya! I've never smoked in my life and this is one of my biggest pet peeve.

I agree with @Spartans and others - the thoughtless smoking gets me most annoyed.

Like @Alien (and as I've mentioned in other threads) I've never had a problem with a Kunming taxi in 7 years, but I know others have.

The drought conditions here are also depressing after a while, perticularly as our neighbourhood (as also mentioned on other threads) only has an hour of running water a day for months.

But overall, I love Kunming a lot.