RESIDENTS were today urged to be vigilant against salesmen who get people to sign up for home repair loans with a false promise they'll win the money back through court action.

Trading Standards and housing company Twin Valley Homes have received dozens of complaints about high-pressure salespeople operating on housing estates in Blackburn and Darwen.

They say they can help residents get repairs to their homes carried out quickly by giving them a loan.

But they say the tenant will win the money back through the courts despite the fact there are no grounds for legal action.

Twin Valley confirmed that it had been told of at least two firms operating in the area, with salesmen knocking on houses randomly and asking to inspect the properties.

It said it was getting between six and 12 calls a day from residents who said they had had salesmen at their door.

It said many complained of being told the salesmen initially claimed they worked for the council or Twin Valley.

Trading Standards are already investigating one firm which allegedly failed to include details of monthly interest rates in its contracts.

Twin Valley has received 60 claims since Christmas but said it can only be liable to pay damages if it has failed to respond to previous requests for repairs. It said many of the claims the housing association has received are for repairs that had not been asked for in the past.

The company today warned that the money it costs to deal with the claims was money which could have been spent on repairs.

Areas targeted so far this week include Daisyfield, Bank Top and estates in Darwen. At Daisyfield, the salesman initially claimed to be from Twin Valley Homes until challenged by the caretaker.

Trading Standards are now investigating the incidents under the Thefts Act and Trade Descriptions Act.

Phil Richards, chief executive of Twin Valley Homes, said: "We have heard that some of our tenants have had callers falsely claiming to be working on behalf of the council.

"We take our responsibilities for repairs very seriously and we are carrying out a multi-million pound programme of improvements in our homes.

"Tenants who have a complaint should come to us first so that we can put things right.

"The people knocking on doors trying to get tenants to make disrepair claims are out to make money for the solicitors and in the long-term such claims will have an adverse effect on our ability to deliver a quality service."

Blackburn with Darwen Council's director of rights, advice and entitlements, George Campling, who is in charge of trading standards, said: "We have received complaints on this issue from members of the public and there has been anecdotal evidence that the callers may be giving the impression that they are acting on behalf of the council.

"If this is substantiated, then offences may be committed under the Trade Descriptions and Theft Acts and we will pursue the matter further.

"The council's trading standards officers have already been looking at the documentation and agreements that are being used by one of the companies concerned.

"There are some concerns about failure to include the APR rate for the loan element and this is being investigated."

Moira Barrett, of the Anchor Grove estate, Darwen, has had four callers at her door.

She said: "They all asked what faults we had with the house and whether we had problems with the council.

"I questioned one of them asking why he was trying to take money from the tenants. He said it would come from the council. I told him the council no longer have anything to do with it. "

Inspector Tracie O'Gara, from Blackburn Police, said: "The best advice we can offer is for people to be totally happy with who they are letting into their homes.

"People should check official identification, and if not happy with that, then contact us."