TRADING standards officers are urging householders to beware of rogue gardeners and landscapers.

Darlington Borough Council have issued a warning to residents thinking of improving their gardens and outdoor spaces.

It comes after repeated cases of residents being conned in the region.

Councillor Jonathan Dulston, Darlington Borough Council’s deputy leader, said: “Rogue traders can be very persuasive. They will use high pressure selling at the doorstep and make bogus claims to get people to agree to the work.

"Their glossy flyers delivered to people’s homes and the impressive-looking websites may appear convincing but are often not all they seem. Some traders pretend they have many years of experience when that is not the case

“The outcome is that people are misled and left with a garden that bears no resemblance to what was promised, the project is half-finished, there is damage to property, or the work has not been done at all.

"People can also be left out of pocket if they have paid up front, often to the tune of hundreds or thousands of pounds.

“We want to weed out the rogue gardeners and landscapers and our trading standards officers have come up with some useful advice and tips for householders.”