3 month old Acorn Stairlift Residual Value Zero or even less
amcn02
Forumite 6 Posts
Be careful when you buy a stair lift from Acorn Stair lifts.
My Mother purchased a curved stair lift from them in November last year
No where near as keen to speak when I was trying to find out what to do with the stairlift (my mother passed away mid February) as when trying to sell an add on Maintenance contract. I am waiting for a pack from them to help me sell it, which involves cards and using Gumtree, etc ,etc. Talking to people in the trade who advise.
The lift is rendered useless because it is mapped for that particular rail and soft program on the lifts memory board an only Acorn can modify these settings. At the moment looks like a company will take it for spares and charge me £45 for doing it. I understand that Acorn will charge £2000 to remove it but waiting on pack for further details from Acorn.
My Mother purchased a curved stair lift from them in November last year
No where near as keen to speak when I was trying to find out what to do with the stairlift (my mother passed away mid February) as when trying to sell an add on Maintenance contract. I am waiting for a pack from them to help me sell it, which involves cards and using Gumtree, etc ,etc. Talking to people in the trade who advise.
The lift is rendered useless because it is mapped for that particular rail and soft program on the lifts memory board an only Acorn can modify these settings. At the moment looks like a company will take it for spares and charge me £45 for doing it. I understand that Acorn will charge £2000 to remove it but waiting on pack for further details from Acorn.
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Stair lifts do seem to be a rip off feeding on people who have problems anyway, but my neighbour sold his wife's quite easily, though it was a more versatile straight run one.
I wouldn't let it go into negative price, as I'd get a friend or relative to rip it out before paying such silly money for removal. Alternatively offer on Gumtree or Freegle/Freecycle with the taker doing the removal.
There are lots of appliances businesses, nowadays, so have you tried all locals ?
But a curved one, very little chance of another home having stairs of identical length and curve - me, I would get it ripped out by a friend and taken round to the nearest scrap metal yard and get it weighed in.
I have found that the Eastern Europeans are excellent at this type of work. Many that I know would love a job like that for say £50.
Have you considered simply keeping it? It is a resource that may be useful again one day, if not for your family then the new owner of the property.
S.
It wouldn't bother me, but if there was a stair lift in a potential new home it may well put people off buying the home.
Much the same with other adaptions - 2nd handrail up the stairs, handles by the doors etc. We had to not only clear out my late dad's home but also had to remove all traces of it being used by an old person (on the advice of the estate agent) to ensure the highest price.
We didi it for a local charitable organisation to give access to the stairs for old and infirm members.
There are organisations out there that will install second user systems and yes they can be reprogrammed once you have the information.
(We reprogrammed our system successfully)
Look up A1 stairlifts on the internet. - they are a very helpful organisation. They won't buy your system but can sell you parts.
We are qualified retired engineers but there must be other competent folks out there who can do this on a charitable basis by removing systems for one customer and installing it for another.
There's every chance that it would fit in another home if the OP is in a terrace of houses. I've lived in a tiny 2 up, 2 down Victorian terrace which was identical to hundreds of others in the district, up to a huge Victorian 'villa' which in turn was identical to dozens in the area.
I've seen ads on Freecycle asking for stairlifts and others giving them away or selling on the likes of Gumtree.