It seems like an easy way to make some extra money by taking in a lodger and we all know how some extra income would be useful in these difficult economic times. Before you decide to get a lodger there are a few things you should consider just to be sure it will suit you and your family.

When you open your home up to paying guests you lose a lot of your privacy. If you are in the habit of wandering around the house wearing very little clothing you might have to change your ways and this will also apply to anyone else in your family. It does make you start to think about behaving differently and this can be annoying when you are in your own home but you do get extra money coming in so it is part of the price you have to pay.

It is important to set down some house rules for any prospective lodger. It is good for both you and them to have a written, and signed, agreement on what they can and cannot do. You must also show them some consideration. If they get up very early in the morning it would be unfair of you to be playing loud music late at night just as it would be if the roles were reversed.

Your lodger will have their own room and it is up to you how much of the rest of the house they can use and when. If you only want to allow them access to the bathroom and kitchen that is fair enough but if you are happy for them to use your garden or lounge they will probably appreciate that.

They will need some storage space in the kitchen for food and it is best if you can allocate one cabinet for their use only and allow them the use of one shelf in the fridge and another in the freezer. If you don't make this clear from the start you may find you come home from shopping one day and there is no room in the freezer for your frozen food. Make things clear right from the start and play fair with your lodger and make sure they follow the rules too.

There is bound to be a certain amount of extra comings and goings and general noise from having someone else in your home but it is important that both you and they can be reasonable and fair about disturbing each other. There are some terrible lodgers out there but most are good people and the last thing they want to do is upset you or cause you problems.

Overall, renting out a spare room and taking in a lodger is a great way to increase your income without too much extra work and you might find you enjoy their company too. Some people have made some lifelong friends this way.