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A Macau shop owner has launched a “rental uncle” service offering companionship to people seeking someone to talk to, after his own heartbreak inspired him to help others overcome loneliness.
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Jacky, who uses a pseudonym, launched the service in June, saying it was designed to provide emotional support through conversations, meals, singing, walks and other everyday activities. He stressed that the service has no sexual elements.
The man in his 40s, who runs a retail shop in Macau, said his experiences in five past relationships and various jobs gave him confidence in listening to people’s problems and offering support.
He said the idea came after noticing many customers at his shop struggled to share their feelings with family members due to work pressure and relationship issues.
Since launching the service, Jacky said he had met about 20 clients aged between 25 and 45. Some wanted to vent about stress, while others sought company after break-ups or being cheated on.
He said he could relate to clients facing relationship problems, as he had once discovered his former girlfriend had developed feelings for someone else while they were preparing for marriage.
The experience left him devastated, but he now hopes to use his own story to comfort others as a “companion” rather than a counsellor.
To avoid misunderstandings, Jacky said he has two rules: no entering clients’ private residences and no physical contact.
He said he once accompanied a woman to collect belongings from her ex-boyfriend’s home, but waited outside while she retrieved her items.
Jacky charges 80 patacas (about HK$80) per hour, saying the fee should not be set too low as it could attract inappropriate requests.
As Macau is a small community, he said he and clients would agree on explanations such as being friends or colleagues if they encounter acquaintances in public.
Jacky said he hopes to expand the service by recruiting more men in their 40s to become “rental uncles” in the future.
