HELPING HAND

Staff at a Rutherglen business have been described as a “joy to have around” as they offer their maintenance services for free to the elderly in Rutherglen.

Clyde Property Management began doing ‘odd jobs’ for people in February last year when a large commercial client went out of business.

Staff at the Farmeloan Road company, which is attached to Clyde Financial Services, had free time on their hands and began helping loyal customers of the financial sector who had, with age, been finding it increasingly difficult to do small jobs around the house.

Staff have to date been painting, putting up shelves, clearing lofts, installing white goods, shampooing carpets, moving furniture and clearing drains.

Realising there was a huge demand for this service, the business opened up the scheme to all those in need of support in a bid to ‘give back’ to the local community.

Gordon Hart, managing director of Clyde Property Management and Clyde Financial Services, said the free service is more important than ever as cowboy tradesmen continue to target the elderly.

He said: “We are a financial services business so we have vulnerable clients who have given us their business over the last 25 years. You see them getting older and they rely on you more heavily because you have built up that relationship.

“We have transferred that trust and sense of duty to property management. There are people out there who need help around the house, but are too worried to ask or invite people into their home. We invite clients to come to the office before we go out to their home so they know who they are dealing with.”

Elma Wilson and her husband Fyfe were customers of Clyde Financial Services when