(File photo)

Rent-a-partner services have become increasingly in demand in China as Spring Festival approaches, with the most expensive daily payments running as high as 3,000 RMB.

Pressed by families to bring home girlfriends or boyfriends, some young men and women choose to rent a total stranger, turning partner rental into big business.

At least 21 details about available rent-a-partner services could be found on an online Baidu Tieba forum on Jan. 17, which indicated that prices start from 100 RMB per day. There are also websites offering “professional” rental services of girlfriends or boyfriends. Such websites demand a commission of up to 15 percent of the daily charge from the pretend partners, Beijing Youth Daily reported.

“We will find you a partner according to your career and height requirements. We can also show you a picture first. We do not have any inexperienced workers; those we recommend are very good at getting along with the elderly, and they know how to speak and behave in different situations,” an employee told the newspaper. It is permissible for rented girlfriends to sleep in the same room as customers, but they cannot share a bed. The employee also warned that the website does not guarantee the safety of either party.

“If you want to rent out your services, you must be responsible for anything that goes wrong,” the employee noted.

According to Beijing-based lawyer Chang Sha, contracts for the rental services are valid as long as no laws are violated and morality is upheld. Meanwhile, Chang noted that websites providing such services should shoulder the responsibility of checking users’ identities and protecting their personal information, Beijing Youth Daily reported.

Rent-a-partner services have been gaining popularity in recent years, but their popularity typically peaks in the weeks before Spring Festival. The services are very worthwhile to young people whose parents often expect to see their children with partners during the holiday.