As a society that is increasingly both lazy and affluent we have become increasingly adept at outsourcing our dirty business. Cleaners, nannies and home help all deal with the messy inconveniences of life that we just cannot be bothered to deal with.

Given this, it shouldn't really be too surprising that a company has now sprung up offering to take the messy business of dumping off your hands. For a small fee, naturally, German-based company Separation Solutions will spare you the awkwardness of a face-to-face confrontation and break up with your lover on your behalf.

According to reports in the Observer, customers can choose a variety of dumping methods, from the abrupt to the Princess Di-esque hand-holding style. Choosing from a graded price plan dumpers can either opt for the "sensitive phone call" to the deluxe package the Personalised Home Visit, whereby the dumpee's failings are explained to them in painstaking yet sensitive detail. Sadly my favourite option - taking out a notice in the Times announcing your engagement to someone else - doesn't appear to be offered yet.

But does this new venture represent the ultimate in bad behaviour or the beginning of a new era in dating etiquette?

Calling in the professionals may be lazy but it also has its benefits. Someone lacking DIY skills would not be judged harshly for employing a handyman, so why should someone that's terrible at dumping be discouraged from roping in an expert?

Despite most adults having an abundance of experience in the field of dumping, many of us are still inexcusably bad at it. Witness the man that is to terrified to tell to tell his girlfriend he wants out, so instead acts so appalling that she is forced to dump him. Or the women that thinks she's being "mature" and "honest" by telling her boyfriend that she just doesn't fancy him anymore, thus sentencing him to a break-up period of crippling insecurity.

Furthermore, increasing numbers of people are already trying to opt-out of the dumping process. Rather than involve themselves in a potentially awkward conversation they'll instead let things fizzle out without any final words being exchanged or, worse, will opt for the heinous crime of "soz, U R gr8 but I dont want to c u nemore."

So maybe dumping is best left to the professionals? The dumpee can at least be guaranteed a sensitive and yet helpful explanation of why things are over. At the same time they are saved the indignity of breaking down in a tearful state or flinging themselves on their ex's departing ankles, pleading for another chance.

If the professionals are really smart they'll offer up follow-up services for the recently dumped: deleting phone numbers to prevent late night tearful phone calls, highlighting all the appropriately weepy chick flicks in the television guide and letting slip how fat and ugly the new girlfriend is.