How to buy a stairlift

colliers_wood

Sorry to say but you MUST book several quotes and you MUST haggle.
1. Delay as long as you can. Using the stairs really helps. Think, you're lifting a 10 stone weight up 15 feet., several times a day. That's a fair amount of exercise. Mum got swollen ankles as soon as she moved to a place without stairs. (Not a medical person, just from experience).
2. You **MUST** book at least 3 visits from stair lift companies to measure up and give you a quote. Why? The sales people are brilliant (that's at their job, not for your benefit). I thought I was tough, but I felt really guilt about not signing up for the first one for all the time and trouble he had taken. The only thing that stopped me was the fact that we had another appointment that day.
2A. Do not choose someone from a newspaper ad. My aunt replied to one, they quoted her £4,500 for a second hand one. Reputable companies were much cheaper for a new one.
3. They will all give quotes. Stannah Stairlifts will be the most expensive. Don't worry about selling it back at the end - you'll get almost nothing. Nor can you sell it privately - the track wont fit someone else's stairs. Do ask about the cost of ongoing maintenance.
4. Do consider the rental option - it's an unpleasant calculation how long you'll think you need it.
5. Make your decision, then you phone the other 2 companies. They WILL offer you a better deal. Then phone the first again. Then repeat.
6. The range was £2,400 to £1,800. We chose a quote of £2,100. They agreed to match the £1,800 price. I felt proud of myself for haggling. We accepted it. One of the other sales people phoned us, and said "sorry, its Friday night, I'm going out, just say I'll do it for £1,300, and I promise you, they'll match it.". So, feeling really guilty, but it was my aunt's money so I had to, I phoned back the company we chose, and said I'm really sorry, but I've been offered a lower price. "Not a problem sir, we'll match it", they said without a care in the world. I texted the "going-out" guy to say thanks, he texted back to say "thanks, we all had a laugh, you've made my day " as he'd just spoiled someone else's commission. So, £2,100 to £1,300 is too big a saving to ignore.
7. These are prices for straight stairs (corners add to the cost) and pre-covid (which caused a glut in the poor second hand market)  - I've been meaning to write this for a while. Good luck.

Summary
- have someone with you for moral support
- book at least 3 visits to measure up
- haggle, just phone each company in turn, and ask if they'll beat the other's quotes
- say "we've chosen another firm, how low would you have gone, so I can get them to match it"
- don't consider how much they'll buy it back for
- do consider ongoing maintenance (a monthly fee after the first year, we called them out a couple of times)
- do consider the rental option (cheaper if you only need it for less than about 18 months)

Fruitcake

I believe the stairlift should be VaT free as long as there is at least one person with a disability living in the property.

There are very few companies in the UK that make stairlifts, but there are lots of companies that sell them. Personally I would choose a company that was actually the manufacturer, but that doesn't mean they will be the cheapest.
Some companies offer reconditioned units. Some companies may just give a used one a clean and sell it on, whereas others replace the motor and other major parts, so much of the working parts are actually brand new.

Consider getting one with battery backup so they can still be used during a power cut. The batteries don't last very long but will get someone up or downstairs maybe half a dozen times before they run flat.

Service contracts are not cheap. The work out at around £250 per year, but a single callout if you don't have a contract could cost nearly £200.

We had a Stannah that we picked up for free and it worked for many years without problems.

When we added a loft conversion we replaced it and got a second one for the extra floor from a company called Handicare. We got a discount for buying two. We did pay for the service contract after the warranty ran out, both of which include an annual service as well as a callout service. Cost of parts and labour vary depending on the level of service contract you pay for. Think, bronze, silver, and gold type service.

We have called them out a few times at no extra charge. The most common faults seems to be the contacts between the track and chair getting dirty.

Charities such as Age Concern may be able to give useful advice. There are some good mobility shops that will give good advice, but watch out for rogues (we have one near us that I wouldn't touch with a 3.2m bargepole) and ones that get a commission. 

jeffreyD

Great thread and useful information. One of the best ways to save on a stairlift is to get a reconditioned stairlift and make sure the company offers a warranty. Some even give you 2 years warranty which covers you for parts, call-outs and labour. It's worth shopping around to find the best deal and yes, get a few appointments to see not only the cheapest offer and compare but also the make and model of the stairlift - some are much better than others. 

Farway

jeffreyD said:

Great thread and useful information. One of the best ways to save on a stairlift is to get a reconditioned stairlift and make sure the company offers a warranty. Some even give you 2 years warranty which covers you for parts, call-outs and labour. It's worth shopping around to find the best deal and yes, get a few appointments to see not only the cheapest offer and compare but also the make and model of the stairlift - some are much better than others. 

I'd also say look at second hand / recon, but you will be into unknown territory regarding how good or bad the supplier is.

You'd have to check locally, FB etc.

Some are just local agents for larger companies

I was lucky because my one is a local one-man band, giving two year g'tee, annual service or callout is £60, which seems to consist of cleaning tracks, dusting insides, and measure remaining battery capacity, which if below ?? it would be advisable to fit new battery.

Parts, none have been needed, would be extra

In event of battery / power failure it has a handle that can be used, only by Mr Universe I imagine  , to wind it up / down. 

teddysmum

There doesn't appear to be a company with showrooms showing various brands, even the big multi-product (general disability needs) stores only have one or two on show, but sell other models which they don't stock but obtain to order. I dislike many models which are only own brand copies of Acorn or a few others and the brand that is nearly all plastic, with little upholstery and long curved arms, gives me the creeps, as it reminds me of a robot, waiting to grab and entrap you.

Grey_Critic

Not so silly question but do you go to Church or belong to some sort of Social Club - If so ask around the members, someone might be wanting rid of one or have been through the same process as you. A personal recommendation