CONCERNS have been raised after a man posing as a Bolton at Home worker tried to gain entry to a flat by saying he had come to check the water meter.

But alarm bells immediately began ringing for the tenant as the property at Blackshaw House in Bolton does not have a water meter.

The resident refused entry before the man said he would knock on some other doors and return later, but he never came back.

This incident has been reported to police.

Bolton at Home say the incident happened on January 6 and the man has been described as Asian, in his 20s, around 5"7 tall and was wearing a hi-vis jacket.

He had no ID and did not wear a mask.

Following the worrying incident, Bolton at Home’s director of housing services, Gemma Parlby, said: “It’s important to always check that a visitor is who they say they are before you let them into your home.

“If we need to carry out a repair, we’ll generally phone you 48 hours before to make an appointment first.

"We’ll wear a mask and PPE, and stay socially distanced from you.

“For the vast majority of home visits, you’ll know to expect us. There can be some urgent and specific situations when we need to visit tenants unexpectedly, but in all cases we’ll be wearing ID.

“If you’re unsure a visitor really works for Bolton at Home, you can phone us 01204 328000.

"Our staff won’t be offended if you want to carry out an extra check before you let them in.

"We want you to be confident we are who we say we are and understand the reason for our visit.

“If you suspect a bogus caller claiming to be from Bolton at Home, you can report it to us on 01204 328008 or at SafeguardingandDomesticAbuseandViolence@boltonathome.org.uk.”