TRADING Standards officers are warning residents to be aware of unscrupulous traders offering carpet cleaning services, following complaints from concerned consumers.

The traders phone up and offer to clean carpets for a low or special price, often around £20 per room.

However, Trading Standards officers say that this just ‘a foot in the door’, and once in the house, the trader will say that they have found additional problems such as moth infestation, or suggest a more intensive cleaning at much higher price – in some cases as much as £4,000.