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In most cases VAT will not be applied to the cost of a stairlift, the majority of stairlift users suffer from a form of illness which allows the exemption of VAT. If you are disabled or have a chronic illness, then you will not have to pay VAT on a stairlift. A form must be filled in to acknowledge this at the time of sale, if you are unsure whether you qualify for VAT exemption, please visit the government website for more advice – click here for more info

If you no longer need a stairlift, they can be easily removed, usually only taking a few hours to remove and in most cases with little redecoration needed afterwards. If your stairlift is on a rental contract, then you will need to contact the company who originally installed it to have it removed and terminate the contract. If you originally bought the stairlift, then dependent on it’s age and condition you may be able to sell back your stairlift. If the stairlift is too old then you may have to pay for a professional removal, a removal fee will be chargeable for the correct disposing of the stairlift and an engineer’s time. Should you need help in having a stairlift removed, please contact us and we will happily advise.

Stairlifts work using mechanical parts and batteries and therefore can occasionally breakdown. However, stairlifts are very reliable and built with every care in order for a user to be able to always use their stairlift when needed. A good after sales care package is always recommended, although you should receive a warranty with your stairlift, this often doesn’t include out of hours break down cover which is highly recommended.

All stairlifts fit directly to the staircase through a series of feet brackets. The amount of feet brackets required often depends on the length and type of track system. A straight stairlift typically sits on 4 feet spaced apart to support any track joints. A curved stairlift can often have more feet to help support the curved sections as they go around the corners.

Typically, stairlifts take between 2 – 5 hours dependent on the type, track length and complexity of additional features. A straight stairlift is usually the quickest stairlift to install with a curved stairlift which may need individual programming to take the longest. A stairlift should easily be fitted within the same day.

Stairlifts require a constant power feed which is delivered via a standard 3 pin plug in order to trickle charge the on-board batteries. The power consumption of a stairlift is similar to boiling a kettle and very energy efficient.

All stairlifts work from on-board batteries which charge via contact points or strips on the track system. If the power is switched off, this will stop the batteries from recharging in between uses and will eventually lose all their power to drive the stairlift. If a stairlift detects there is no power to charge the batteries, an audible warning sound will alert the user. In the event of a power cut, the stairlift will continue to work from the batteries until the power is restored and will then charge again.

Once a stairlift has been professionally installed, the stairlift will be ready for immediate use. Stairlift controls are easy to operate, but it is always recommended time is taken to carefully read any user manuals supplied with the stairlift and kept safe for future troubleshooting and advice.

Although stairlifts have mechanical moving parts, they also come with lots of safety features which make stairlifts very safe. Most stairlifts have either a key or switch to make sure children can not play on them keeping them safe.

In general, stairlifts are whisper quiet, some more than others and occasionally added features such as powered swivel seats can make some noise, but when stationary, a stairlift makes no noise at all except warning noises when it needs to.

Stairlifts are only designed and made to carry one person at a time, stairlifts have weight limits and should not be mistreated. Also, the design of a stairlift is for one person at a time and more than one person at a time would be extremely unsafe to operate. A stairlift can transport multiple users but only one at a time, remote controls situated at the top and bottom of the stairs allows a secondary user to call the stairlift when required.

All stairlifts are designed and built for certain weight limits. The majority of standard stairlifts can carry between 18 – 21 stone dependent on the model and occasionally additional features which can decrease the limit. Some stairlift models can carry up to 30 stone and it’s important to consider fluctuations in weight if a medical condition can cause this and potential weight gain to make sure a suitable stairlift is installed.