Britain's growing band of people who rent can get a fancy pad for the price of a bedsit due to the rise in firms looking for property “guardians”.

Moving into a Victorian school or Georgian mansion can knock about 80% off your rent. In exchange, owners don’t have to fork out for security to protect their property.

There are also big savings to be made on holidays: entering into a house swap for a week or offering to “house sit” for owners of large country pads can let you holiday for free.

More people are choosing to rent: the number of first-time buyers is almost half the historical average, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders. “With house prices falling, higher utility bills and the threat of recession, a lot more people are putting off buying, and are saving instead,” it said.

Camelot Property Management, which lists empty properties for rent, typically at a fifth of market price, has seen a 25% jump in inquiries since July.

Tenants, known as “guardians”, are vetted and agree to look after the property and report problems — cutting out the need for security and boarding up the building. You have to be over 18, though, which makes it difficult for families.

And it is not without its catches. Generally, landlords have not yet decided a long-term use for their properties, so lets tend to be for short periods.

Camelot — which has about 1,000 registered guardians in Britain and also operates in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Ireland — arranges the living space, as well as heating, kitchen and bathrooms. New locks are fitted for security.

Most properties have more than one tenant. In Surrey, for example, nine guardians occupy a 30-bedroom Georgian mansion surrounded by acres of woodland. There is also a gatekeeper’s house rented by a guardian. Rents range from £45 to £65 a week. Utility bills are paid for by the landlord.

Camelot said guardians generally did not have to pay council tax, especially if they occupied a commercial building. “Many councils see this as a security service, so tenants are exempt.”

Being a property guardian can also net you a free holiday. Homesitters.co.uk typically pays sitters £9.50 a day and 33p extra per pet. Sitters are also paid a £7 non-taxable food allowance a day and travel costs are paid for by the homeowner. If the sitter drives, they are paid 40p a mile.

The firm employs 900 home sitters, primarily pensioners, as you have to be available at short notice. The average home sit is 10 days. “It’s a holiday with responsibility,” said Adele Barclay of Homesitters.

People who need home sitting often own large detached country houses with “swimming pools and Agas”, she said.

You could also bag a free holiday by temporarily swapping your house through the likes of Intervac.co.uk. It has 20,000 registered users in 80 different countries, although most are in Europe and the US.

Each user can contact another and offer to swap houses for an agreed time. Registration costs £75 a year, but if you sign up before the end of the month you will get a £25 discount.

Before going ahead with a swap, tell your buildings and contents insurers. “Some of the cheaper, stripped-down policies may not cover you in some cases,” said Intervac.

School's not out for saver

Amanda Rose, 32, a communications and events consultant, has netted a saving of about £13,500 a year by renting a classroom in a former school in Bermondsey, south London.

She pays £60 a week to Camelot Property Management for the room and use of a toilet and kitchen facilities in another part of the Victorian building.

Rose would have to fork out up to £320 a week to rent a similar-sized property in the area, giving her a saving of some £260 a week — or £13,520 a year.

She also benefits from not having to pay utility bills as this is covered by Southwark council, the owner of the building.

‘The savings mean I can put money aside for when I decide to buy a place — that’s the ultimate goal,’ said Rose. ‘But I’m waiting to see what happens to the property market.’