Stairlift FAQs

In simple terms, there are 2 types of stairlifts. Straight Stairlifts are suitable for a straight staircase. Curved stairlifts are suitable for a staircase with a bend at the bottom, middle or top of the stairs.

Reconditioned straight stairlifts cost around £995, depending on the model and age. We recommend only current models should be considered. Obsolete models may have no aftersales support. We fit new Stairlifts for £1695 subject to survey. Curved Stair Lifts are significantly more expensive and typically range from £3400 to £5000.

We do not currently offer finance.

We would always recommend having a stairlift professionally installed by a trained and experienced engineer. There are safety factors that need to be considered for stairlift installations. We have seen instances where incorrectly installed stair lifts are dangerous.

Before ordering a stairlift for your home, we will survey your stairs. This allows us to take all the measurements necessary, get a good understanding of your needs and identify any potential problems. Sometimes it's useful for customers to take measurements when making an initial enquiry so we can give an accurate price estimate over the phone.

We are established dealers for leading Stairlift brands, including Brooks, Acorn, and Bespoke.

With many years of experience and contacts across the industry, we can also source Stannah, Handicare and Thyssen in situations where they may be advantageous.

Our engineers have many years of experience installing, servicing and repairing Stairlifts. In some instances, we carry out installations, others we have professionally installed by manufacturers and specialist installation teams.

All stairlifts have a maximum user weight. This varies for different makes and models. A common user weight such as with the Acorn or Brooks stairlift will be 20 stone which is 127kg. Heavy-duty versions for greater weight limits are available to order. Call us to discuss.

Some people find it useful to use a stairlift to carry washing up and down stairs. This can be done by having a washing basket on your lap or using the remote control to send and call the lift – (if there’s someone at the other end!)

Straight Stairlifts are available to buy or rent from Essington Mobility. With competitive pricing on straight stairlifts, we find that most of our customers prefer to buy a new lift.

We can supply reconditioned straight stairlifts, and we offer rental options for straight lifts.  If you would like to rent a curved stairlift please get in touch; we may be able to help.

For more information about renting a stairlift, please see our Stairlift Hire page

Our prices for new straight and curved stairlifts are competitive. The investment made in a stairlift means you can maintain your independence and maximise the freedom to use the whole of your home. We offer reconditioned stairlifts where a more economical option needs to be considered. All our second-hand lifts are current models so spare parts are available. Used/Reconditioned stairlifts are fully serviced and professionally installed.

A stairlift is very simple to operate and once installed the service engineer will run through the process of using the lift and give advice on use. It's part of our handover process to make sure customers are fully informed and the stair lift is ready to use.

The NHS do not provide stairlifts.

Stailifts are made to measure. It's unlikely that in moving to a new home your stairlift would be a perfect fit for the new property. Sometimes straight stairlifts can be installed in another property with a new track. Curved stairlifts are bespoke so cannot be re-fitted elsewhere.

New stairlifts can sometimes be fitted the next day. Typically, we allow up to 7 days from survey to fitting and give priority where a stairlift may be needed for a hospital discharge.
When buying a stairlift we think it's important not to rush into making a snap decision.

We know many high-pressure sales companies use next-day installation as a sales tactic to encourage an order and charge high prices.

A stairlift must be left plugged in and switched on at all times. It is very cheap to run. The charger that is built in to the lifts is 1.5 ah.

All stairlifts are powered by batteries that are installed under the seat. A mains supply is required to put power to a charger. The charger charges the batteries when parked at the top or bottom of the stairs. The batteries power the lift. In the event of a power cut the lift will continue running.

When a stairlift is fitted the fixing brackets fit to the treads of the stairs, not to the walls.

There is no damage to any walls. The carpet on the treads of the stairs will become compressed, which is visible if the stairlift is removed. It's like the marks left on a carpet after an armchair has been in position for some time.

A straight stairlift is generally installed in around 1-2 hours, whilst a curved stairlift takes 3-4 hours.

Like most things regular servicing gives you the best chance of trouble-free use. The frequency of servicing will depend on use, though annual servicing for a stair lift is a good idea.

We give priority to our own customers for servicing and repairs as we have spare parts available and support for the stairlift brands we sell. However, we also have many contacts in the Mobility Industry locally, so if we can't help we probably know someone who can.

All new stairlifts are covered by a minimum of 1-year warranty against faulty manufacture and materials. In some cases, it’s possible to have a warranty of up to 5 years.
Reconditioned stairlifts are supplied with a warranty of 3 months to 12 months depending on circumstances.

We have our own engineers to maintain the lifts we sell.

For stairlift makes and models we don’t support, we may be able to help with our contacts for reliable companies and mobility engineers.

We have our own engineers to maintain and repair the stairlifts we sell.

For stairlift makes and models we don’t support, we may be able to help with our contacts for reliable companies and mobility engineers.

Al stairlifts are limited to a maximum speed of 0.15 metres per second.

Stairlifts are made to British and European Standards.

Safety features include:

• Locking Swivel seat for Safety
• Safety Sensors
• Safety Belt
• Battery Backup in case of a power cut
• Controlled toggles on both arms
• Remote Control

Fold up seat Armrests and Footplate

When a stairlift is not in use it can be parked at the top or the bottom of the stairs. To minimise the space taken up while the stair lift is not in use, the seat, armrests and footboard can be folded up vertically, so it doesn’t take up much space.

There are limitations to the steepness that a stairlift can cope with, though it’s very rare that the gradient is too steep for a stairlift.
We check out the suitability for installation when we survey the property.

Some staircases are very narrow, particularly in older properties. We check out the suitability for installation when we survey the property.

Curved stairlifts are suitable for a staircase that has a bend at the bottom, middle or top of the stairs. A curved stairlift is bespoke and will be made specifically to fit your staircase configuration.

Please see 'A Guide to Getting a New Stairlift' for more details on completing your stairlift purchase and installation.