Consumer Direct received more than 19,000 complaints about builders, plumbers, electricians, decorators and other home improvement traders in the first three months of this year, totalling almost £80m.

During that period, concerns about home maintenance and improvements accounted for the highest number of calls to the government advice service.

In total, Consumer Direct advisers logged 19,075 home maintenance complaints, slightly down from 19,335 last year, but the total value of these complaints rose by almost £6m.

Complaints about building work totalled £40m, problems with fitted kitchens reached £14m, and central heating installation and servicing complaints topped £5.5m.