TRADINGS standards bosses in Blackburn and Darwen are receiving a complaint a day about builders.

The figure was revealed in response to a national survey which found that £1.5billion a year is wasted on sub-standard jobs around the home and that 10 per cent of people are unhappy with the services they have paid for.

East Lancashire trading standards officers have received hundreds of calls over the last 12 months and are issuing repeated warnings to the public about employing doorstep traders.

The Blackburn with Darwen trading standards office receives at least one complaint a day solely about the building trade.

A spokesman said: "The main problems relate to sub-standard work but we also receive many complaints from people who have paid for work which has simply not been done or unnecessary work being completed.

"We have consumer advisors who are on hand to help customers involved in a civil dispute over work and we can also help instigate criminal proceedings for people who have paid for work which has not been carried out. "We would encourage anyone who has a complaint of any kind to contact one of our advice offices for help."

At county hall, the Lancashire Trading Standards Office covers the rest of East Lancashire.

There they have fielded over 2,000 calls across the county in the last 12 months.

A spokesman said: "We have appealed to the government repeatedly to try to get more control over home improvement workers.

"At the moment anyone can pick up a bag of tools and call himself a roofer or a flagger.

"All we can do at the moment is warn people to act very carefully before they take on a tradesman.

"Try to get references from other people he has worked for, get other estimates for the work before you agree a price and finally, always hold some of the money back until the job is finished to your satisfaction."

One of the most secure ways to employ a builder is to check with a local register of recommended tradesman such at the Hyndburn Homewise register.