What Kind of Warranty Will Your New Stairlift Have?
It's a lot to think about when choosing a stairlift, but one thing you should definitely consider is the ongoing care and maintenance to protect your investment. It’s important to understand what’s covered by the warranty and how long it lasts.
There’s plenty to think about when choosing a stairlift, but one thing you should definitely consider is the ongoing care and maintenance to protect your investment. A modern stairlift is a pretty complex piece of kit, with mechanical and electronic components and moving parts. While stairlifts are generally reliable, like any machine they benefit from routine maintenance and servicing to keep them in good condition. They also have parts that will eventually need to be replaced, such as the rechargeable battery packs which power most stairlifts.
If you’ll rely on the stairlift, there must be a safety net in place in case something goes wrong with it. How will you cope if it stops working? You need to be confident an emergency stairlift repair will be quickly and professionally carried out. Here are some things to consider:
New stairlifts, and some reconditioned ones, are supplied with a warranty or guarantee from the manufacturer or, in some cases, the retailer. It’s important to understand what’s covered by the warranty and how long it lasts. If buying a brand new stairlift, look for one that comes with a warranty covering the costs of any and all callouts, repairs, parts, and labor for a set period. It should last for at least 12 months, although some suppliers offer longer warranties as an incentive to buy their products.
The type of warranty you get might depend on whether you buy your stairlift direct from the manufacturer or through a mobility retailer. Buying from a manufacturer should ensure you have access to genuine replacement parts, which can be supplied and fitted quickly and efficiently. Some larger manufacturers have their own skilled and experienced stairlift engineers to install their stairlifts and carry out all routine maintenance and repairs for their customers. This brings the reassurance that repairs or maintenance will be professionally undertaken by someone who knows the product well and has direct access to genuine parts.
Another question to ask is how quickly will a repair be carried out, and can you call on the service at any time? Look for a supplier with a proven track record of prompt and efficient aftersales service – better still, one which is available to its customers 365 days-a-year. Then what happens when the warranty supplied with your stairlift runs out? Most manufacturer or retailer warranties expire after one or two years, but the stairlift should last much longer with proper care and maintenance. That’s why you should look for a supplier that offers ‘extended warranties’ and/or ‘annual service agreements.
An extended warranty, as its name suggests, extends the period for which the warranty covers the stairlift against any defect. Some suppliers offer the option of an extended warranty at the point of sale (or shortly afterward). While this is an extra cost, it keeps your stairlift covered against any defect for a longer period. In other cases, a new warranty or an annual service agreement might be offered when the original warranty runs out. Again, this is an extra cost that you should be aware of when buying your stairlift. Some suppliers offer different levels of cover at different price points.
For example, a basic agreement might only cover the cost of an annual service for your stairlift, while a premium agreement might also cover the cost of all callouts, parts, and labor. Obviously, this higher level of cover will cost more. Speak to your chosen stairlift supplier about what type of warranty is supplied with the product, what type of cover is available after the warranty expires, how much it costs, and who will actually do the work. An extended warranty or annual service agreement might be an extra cost you hadn’t previously considered, but it’s usually the most cost-effective way to protect against a potentially expensive repair. It also delivers the peace of mind that you covered if something does go wrong.