Indonesians turning to rental partner services to cope with loneliness
When 33-year-old Noviandi first came across a TikTok account offering a service to rent a girlfriend or boyfriend, he was sceptical and suspected it might be a scam.
The account, which only had a few thousand followers, featured blurred photos of Indonesian women and men, all promising to be “your dream partner”.
One post read: “Sella will always be there for you.”
Another said: “Gien loves you no matter what.”
It was exactly the type of comfort Noviandi needed.
“I just want a friend to talk to, someone to share my day with, someone I can express my feelings to,” he said.
Testimonials from previous clients praised the service and the quality of the rental partners. So he decided to give it a try.
Platforms offer online and in-person services
Twenty-two-year-old Florencia Ghea Priscilla, known as Florence, launched her rent-a-partner service, PinjemDoi, two years ago.
Each week, she receives 200 to 300 “orders” from customers across Indonesia, requesting one of their 30 rental partners.
“For online orders, you can opt for text, audio calls, video calls, or even request selfies, flirty voice notes, play mobile games together, and do sleep calls,” she said.
A sleep call — speaking to the person until one of the callers drifts off to sleep — has become a popular service in Indonesia in recent years.
Customers can also ask their rental partners to go shopping, watch a movie, or hang out at a cafe.
People have even brought their rental partners to formal events such as graduations and weddings to sidestep awkward questions about being single.
Prices vary depending on the service provided. A simple selfie or voice note can cost as little as $1, while in-person dates and video calls cost up to $8 per hour.
Florence said many people in Indonesia never had the opportunity to date or had someone to express their feelings to.
She envisioned a service where customers could connect with their “dream partners”.
“Unlike real-life relationships, which can sometimes be dramatic or involve constant arguments, our talents are trained to always present their best selves,” she said.
Florence said while it was not common, there had been an instance in which a rental partner and a customer developed a real-life romantic relationship.
“One couple even got married,” she said.
“I was a bit shocked at the time … the rental partner had resigned and, not long after that, they sent me a wedding invitation.”
Prioritising safety
The rental partners scheme has its origins in Japan in the early 2000s, when some companies began providing services for individuals seeking companionship without the obligations of traditional relationships.
Pici, who wanted to remain anonymous, saw an opportunity to introduce a similar service in Indonesia, leading to the creation of Rentmate.id.
“It turns out many Indonesians are interested in this type of service,” she said.
Pici and Florence both point out that they prioritise the safety of their rental partners.
Florence explained that PinjemDoi required a photo of a customer’s national ID card before any interaction took place.
“In-person dates must always be in public spaces,” she added.
“If a customer invites the rental partners to their house or a hotel, we immediately decline them.”
Rentmate.id takes other precautions such as refusing to allow video calls for online orders due to the risk it can pose to the rental partner’s safety.
Concerns include clients taking a screenshot of the video call and misusing it for other purposes.
Male partners also available
Justin, a pseudonym he chose upon joining Rentmate.id, was the first male talent recruited by the platform.
Customers repeatedly booked Justin, saying he had a vibrant personality and easy-going nature.
In one instance, a client liked him so much she requested him for seven consecutive days.
Justin said the key to his success was adaptability and being able to blend with different personalities.
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“We must be able to control our mood,” he said.
“We can’t be in a bad mood when interacting with customers.”
Justin emphasised that maintaining professionalism was crucial, especially when engaging in affectionate and romantic interactions with clients.
“You can’t [develop] feelings, that’s the point … it’s just a rental service and a client is a client,” he said.
Despite the nature of his work, Justin has always been open about his part-time job with those close to him, including his family and even his girlfriend.
“Before we started dating, I told her that I was doing this,” he said.
“I explained that it’s all just rental, it’s never serious and I’m getting paid [to be their boyfriend].”
His girlfriend was fine with the idea and simply asked Justin to always be transparent with her about his experiences.
“Even my mum was supportive,” he said.
“She said, ‘It’s fine, you can do anything that you want.'”
Expert remains sceptical
Indah Sundari, a psychologist and founder of Sundarindah Psychological Corner, said several factors contributed to the surge in demand for rental partners in Indonesia.
“Humans in general have a fundamental need for affection,” she said.
“It’s the need to be affiliated, connected and to receive love and care from others.”
A 2022 survey of more than 1,000 Indonesian men and women, conducted by the Jakarta-based Health Collaborative Center, found loneliness was the second-largest factor contributing to mental health problems in the country.
“Forty-six per cent of Indonesians feel that they are lonely. That’s a significant number,” Ms Sundari said.
But Ms Sundari expressed scepticism about the long-term sustainability of the rental partner phenomenon.
“Humans, particularly maybe Indonesians, often gravitate towards things that are instant and quick,” she said.
“Finding a genuine partner is not a simple and fast process.”
“You have to wait for someone suitable, get to know them first, and then go through an adjustment period when you start dating.
“It all takes time.”
Ms Sundari underscored the temporary nature of rental partners.
“You’re investing so much time, energy, and money into someone who is essentially a stranger, you don’t truly know who they are,” she said.
Instead of turning to rental services, she suggested those who struggled with loneliness should seek help from a professional.
She also strongly advised people to invest time in finding a genuine partner.
“It’s OK if the process is long, it’s OK if sometimes you have to start everything from zero,” she said.
“It’s a long-term investment that will pay off at the end.”