TRADING standards is warning people to be careful of a building firm offering to do unnecessary work on their homes.

Representatives from UK Property Maintenance are knocking on people's doors and telling them their fascia boards need replacing or their chimney needs repointing.

The company mainly targets houses near building sites.

Trading standards officers believe this is to give the impression they are working on the site and just happened to notice the imaginary faults.

Residents in Homesdale Road, Bickley, are the latest to be targeted.

A trading standards spokesman said: "UK Property Maintenance is charging for work which is unnecessary. They are basically rogue traders."

If people are concerned they can call Consumer Direct, a national helpline for people worried about traders, on 0845 404 0506.