When a stairlift is no longer required due to a bereavement or moving home, many people are at a loss as to what they do should do with it. The majority want their stairlift to have a further purpose and to be used by someone else who may need it, rather than letting it go to waste. We are going to the ins and outs of donating your stairlift to a charity.
Find a suitable charity
The first thing to do, if you are considering donating your stairlift, is to first seek out a charity that will accept it. Unfortunately, there are many charities within the UK that do not accept stairlifts for a variety of reasons that we will discuss in the next section.
If you find a charity that may be interested in the stairlift, provide them with as much information as possible about the stairlift including:
- The make and model of stairlift
- The age / when it was installed
- Is the stairlift working? (does it have any faults or does the battery need replacing?)
- Was the stairlift reconditioned when purchased?
- Does the stairlift have any damage (cosmetic or otherwise)
Why will my chosen charity not accept my stairlift?
Many charities in the UK do not accept stairlifts for a variety of reasons. One of the first reasons is health and safety. When a stairlift is donated many charities cannot guarantee that it is safe to use and that there is no fault with it. The last thing a charity would want is to have a donated stairlift installed for a vulnerable person that desperately needs it, for it to be dangerous or not fit for purpose. They are therefore hesitant to take these donations if they cannot guarantee it is safe for use.
Another reason is that stairlifts are very niche items. There are a lot of expertise that go into the surveying of a staircase, ordering and manufacturing the correct stairlift for the home and then the installation of it, repairs, and eventual removal. Many charities just do not have the infrastructure to allow them to get the appropriate staff or contractors to remove and reinstall stairlifts, or simply out of budget.
Check the conditions of your donation
If you find a charity that is happy to accept your stairlift as a donation, ask them to provide information on any terms and conditions to ensure they will be able to accept the stairlift:
- Would they prefer to remove the stairlift themselves, or are they happy for you to remove it? If they are happy for you to remove it, do they need any electrical certificates to be provided to ensure it is safe?
- Do they need any paperwork for the stairlift to prove ownership?
- Will they accept the donation if the handheld remote controls are missing?
- If there is a smoker in the home, will they still accept the stairlift?
- Are you required to clean the stairlift before the donation?
Make sure it is feasible for you
Once you have found out what is expected of you and your stairlift for the donation, make sure those requirements are feasible for you. For example, if they require you to remove the stairlift yourself, do you have the tools and knowledge to complete this safely without causing damage to the stairlift? If they require the stairlift to be delivered to them, is the charity local? And do you have a suitable vehicle to transport the rail/track?
It is important to understand if donating a stairlift is going to be possible for you before committing to any donation that the charity may be relying on.
Donating your stairlift to be recycled
If you cannot find a charity that can accept your stairlift, you still have other options. We Buy Any Stairlift remove and recycle stairlifts of a variety of makes and models. If your stairlift is under 5 years old there is a very good chance, we can purchase the stairlift from you and provide free professional removal. The stairlift will be recycled for parts and reused rather than being wasted.
If you’d like more information, please fill out our contact form with some additional details and we will get back to you to provide a free no obligation quote.
