If you have a stairlift that has not been in regular use for a while, or wasn’t used much by the intended user, you might find that it is no longer working. A question that we are often asked by potential customers is if they can still sell their stairlift to us if they can’t get it to work.
To answer that question, the first thing we must do is try to identify the issue. We only purchase working stairlifts as the aim is to recycle the product, which cannot be done if the stairlift isn’t working. If you are aware what the issue is i.e a specific fault or battery issue, let a member of our team know so we can advise further and possibly provide a quote.
Top 5 most common issues
Here are the most common issues why stairlifts stop working:
Depleted battery
The most common issue that we get reported from customers is that the stairlift just won’t operate but they were not aware of any previous faults. If the stairlift has been switched off for a week or more, it is more than likely that the battery has died.
Many people think that if you turn the stairlift back on, the batteries will eventually recharge but unfortunately this isn’t the case. Stairlift batteries do not recharge once they are completely flat, so if the battery has died you will require a new battery all together.
The battery can also die if the stairlift has been parked off the charging point. Most stairlifts have their charging points at the very bottom, and very top, of the stairs. Some stairlifts models do however have continuous charging so it doesn’t matter where it is parked, and it will re-charge if there is power to the stairlift. If your stairlift hasn’t been switched off, it is worth checking if it has been left off the charging point for a period.
If you think your stairlift has stopped working because the battery has depleted, but it was fully working prior, we can still make you an offer for your stairlift. Our engineers bring spare batteries with them to the removal appointment so they can power up the stairlift, test it and remove it.
Charging fault
Some stairlifts have a digital display and when there is an issue it will display a code i.e. C9 which could indicate an issue with the charging of the battery. If you are aware of a fault code, please let us know and we can check what the fault code means. Depending on the severity of the fault we may still be able to recycle the stairlift.
Faulty motor
Another fault which is slightly less common is a fault with the motor which is essential to power the stairlift. The code often displays as H9 if your stairlift has a digital display. We are unable to recycle a stairlift with this fault unless the motor is replaced. If your stairlift is still within warranty this should be covered for replacement free of charge.
Loss of power to powered footrest/powered swivel
Another common fault is loss of power to the footrest, or swivel if fully powered options are chosen when purchasing the stairlift. Occasionally the mechanics can fail, and the power no longer works. If this is the case the rest of the stairlift should work as normal but without the power swivel/footrest operating, but it can still be moved manually. If this is the case a reduced offer may be applied, if the stairlift is operational.
Can you buy my stairlift?
More often than not, when a stairlift is no longer working it is because of a flat battery. This is a common issue that our engineers are very well prepared for, bringing spare batteries with them to every removal job. A flat battery will not affect the price we can offer you for your stairlift so please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like a quote and you think that might be the issue.
If the fault is not a flat battery (possibly one of the issues listed above) please get in touch and provide details of the issue. We do not conduct stairlift repairs so we are unable to accept or buyback stairlifts with faults. If it is a minor issue isolated to a single part, we may be able to provide a quote.
Contact us by calling 0800 177 7266 or fill out our contact form. If you have information about a fault this can be typed into the free text ‘serial number’ box.
