Airbed in a corridor? That's worth something

A new ‘credit crunch’ property website – and one with a difference – has launched this week.

Crashpadder.com allows people to cash in on the growing demand for cheap accommodation by hosting guests, including people travelling on business or holiday, in their own homes. The accommodation typically ranges from a spare bedroom to an airbed in a corridor.

“Both domestic and international travel is increasing in the UK, but many people find that accommodation choices are limited to expensive hotels or uncomfortable hostels,” said Stephen Rapoport, who came up with the idea.
 
“Crashpadder offers low-priced accommodation for travellers and a chance for hosts to make some money.”
 
Travellers can search for accommodation by location, date, comfort level, price and type of property, for example family home or city centre apartment. Anyone offering accommodation can vet potential visitors by checking their profiles on Crashpadder.com, as well as social networking sites like Facebook, Bebo, MySpace and LinkedIn. All payments are made by credit or debit card via the website and hosts are paid automatically.
 
Hosts can also offer extras such as wireless internet, breakfast or parking space to add value to their room.

Crashpads start from £10 with a typical room in London costing £35 a night, making short-term serviced apartments look very pricey.