A poll by PRDnationwide shows one in five homeowners would consider having someone rent a spare room to help pay the mortgage.

Another 14% of respondents already have someone renting a room and a further 15% would if they had space.

PRDnationwide research director Jonathan Rivera says the results are not surprising given the current economic climate.

“Having someone contributing $100 a week to rent a spare room could be the difference between struggling with bills or not,” he said. “Making unused space in your home earn its keep is an option that more and more people are investigating.”

Rivera says many homeowners buy properties with a granny flat or spare bedroom to give them the choice of renting it out, though they have not actually done it. But in today’s economic climate, people are starting to realize the capital on this extra room.

Finding a lodger is easier than ever, with a plethora of flatmate websites, he says.