Number of homeowners taking in lodgers doubles The average age of a lodger is 29, while 6 per cent of lodgers are now aged between 45 and 54. John O'Roarke, managing director of LV Home Insurance, said: "As people struggle to keep on top of their bills and mortgage payments, it makes sense to look for other sources of income. For homeowners that have a spare room, taking in a lodger can be a great way of getting in some extra cash. Renting out a room, even on a temporary basis, can prove very profitable for homeowners with a spare room available. On average, a person renting a room pays £400 per month. Under the Government's rent-a-room scheme homeowners can receive up to £4,250 a year as a tax free income from the room rent. Seven in ten landlords say they prefer part-time lodgers to their full-time equivalents. A third of these say this is because they like having their own space while a similar number say that having a part-time lodger is less of a commitment than having a full-time lodger. The research was conducted by ICM Research on behalf of LV. ICM interviewed over 2,000 people.