So you want to rent out your spare room?

Often when I tell people what I do for a living they get very excited and tell me that they would love some extra money for renting out their spare room writes Lea Beven.

They tell me that it is usually just full of junk, or at least the wardrobe is!

I have inspired many a person to have a go at it. So here are a few tips that I share with them to get that right:

• Declutter your home - if it looks too full then a tenant looking may feel intimidated by all of your personal possessions.

• Clear out the room you want to use (including the wardrobe) as most tenants will worry about how much trouble you will have to go too to fit them in. You want your tenant to feel that there is room for them in your home and they won't be in the way.

• Keep pets out of the bedroom - lots of people love animals, but they don't want them sleeping on the bed. It is often off-putting to walk into the room you're interesting in letting to find the cat napping on the pillow.

• Empty a food cupboard ready, so that when you show them around the communal areas, they feel that you have already considered their needs.

• Don't be afraid to show them the garage or shed if they have junk of their own that they need to store.

• Noone wants to view a room with a bare mattress - it makes them think about who slept in the bed beforehand. Dress the room to make it look fresh and clean with plenty of pillows and a new bed kit (just for show as people generally bring their own). Attention to detail is important.

If you want to rent out your room you can achieve anything from £290 to £450 (average £368 in this area) for a nice clean double.

Just make sure it's ready and waiting for your prospective tenant.