How to Get the Best Price When Selling Your Stairlift
How to get the best price when selling your stairlift? Selling a stairlift can be an emotional experience. Many people spend thousands of pounds on their stairlift, only to discover that the resale value is far lower than expected. Most stairlifts only fetch between £100 and £400, although we sometimes pay up to £500 for in-demand models such as the Flow X.
(Get in touch, particularly if you have one of these models, pictured below – The Flow X and the Flow 2a).
Factors like brand, model, age, condition, and whether the lift is straight or curved all influence how much you can get. For example, a well-maintained stairlift will usually fetch more than an older stairlift, and popular models like Stannah, Flow 2a or Flow X often sell for higher amounts than other brands due to their reliability.
Even if the numbers seem disappointing, there are ways to get the most for your stairlift.
How to Get the Best Price When Selling Your Stairlift – What Affects the Value of Your Stairlift?
Several key factors determine what a buyer is willing to pay:
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Brand: Stannah, and Flow X tend to retain more value. We choose these models for our reconditioning range and hence they are worth more for resale.
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Model and Type: Models with higher specifications can fetch more, or those which are more useful such as those for very narrow stairs like the Flow X.
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Age and Condition: Newer, well-maintained lifts are more attractive.
Tips to Get the Most for Your Stairlift
While you can’t control market prices, the following steps often help maximise value:
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Keep it clean and well-maintained – a tidy, serviced lift gives buyers confidence.
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Provide all documentation – manuals, receipts, and service records add credibility.
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Highlight top models – if you have a Flow X, Flow 2a, Stannah or another sought-after model, make sure buyers know.
- Shop around – some stairlifts companies prefer certain models, so might pay you more for them. So if you’re not getting the price you want, try a few companies. For example, we prefer Stannah and Thyssen stairlifts, and we don’t purchase all makes and models.
See our full guide to selling second-hand stairlifts in the UK.
How to Get the Best Price When Selling Your Stairlift – Managing Expectations
It’s normal to feel disappointed when you see how much a stairlift will sell for compared to the original price. Most people pay £3,000–£5,000 for a new stairlift, but resale is usually much lower.
Much of the original pricing for a stairlift includes the installation cost and the manufacturing costs. This is particularly true in the case of curved stairlifts which have customised rails which cannot easily be re-used.
How to Get the Best Price When Selling Your Stairlift – Why You Can’t Recoup the Full Cost of a Stairlift
When you buy a stairlift, most of the money you spend goes toward things that cannot be recovered. Key costs include:
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Refurbishment and safety checks: Reconditioned stairlifts require parts, testing, and labour before they can be resold.
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Installation and delivery: Skilled technicians, labour, transport, and time add significant costs to the service.
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Overhead expenses: Warehousing, insurance, and administrative support are included in the total cost of running the business.
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Aftercare and warranty: Maintenance and servicing ensure stairlifts remain safe, which also adds to the overall expense.
Because of these costs, even a perfectly maintained stairlift will usually sell for only a fraction of its original price — typically £100–£400, with top models sometimes reaching £500.
How to Make the Sale Easy
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Contact UK Stairlifts for a free no-obligation valuation – call 0800 046 3438.
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Arrange collection – we can usually arrange collection within a week or so, depending on where you are in the UK
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Get secure payment – we pay on removal day via direct bank transfer
For complete instructions and support, see UK Stairlifts’s guide to selling second-hand stairlifts. It walks you through everything from valuation to collection, so you know exactly what to expect.
FAQ
Q: Is my stairlift even worth anything?
A: This depends on the age, make and model. Some stairlifts are worth much more than others.
Q: Can I sell it or is it scrap?
A: If your stairlift is too old to refurbish and use again, you’re unlikely to get anything for it. However, some companies will remove for free if the parts can be used, or you’ll pay a fee.
Q: Am I going to get ripped off?
A: Getting a stairlift valuation can be disappointing – especially if you paid a lot for it initially. If a stairlift is customised it can cost a lot for the rail, which cannot be easily repurposed. The best way to avoid feeling like you’re getting a raw deal is to get a few quotes to get a general idea of what it is worth.
Q: How quickly can it be removed?
A: Depending on where you are in the country, and how in demand your lift is, stairlifts can sometimes be removed within a day or so, but often within a week or so.
Q: Should I get multiple quotes?
A: Yes we recommend getting a few quotes if you’re unsure. We will always offer a fair price based on what a stairlift is worth.
Q: Can I sell a curved stairlift?
A: Yes we purchase both straight and curved stairlifts.
Q: Why is my stairlift worth so little compared to the original price?
A: Stairlifts depreciate quickly – even top models will sell for far less than they are bought for. Installation and delivery as well as manufacturing costs cannot be recouped. With curved stairlifts, rails are custom made to your staircase which makes the cost difficult to recoup through resale.
Q: Which models don’t you buy?
A: We prefer Stannah and Thyssen stairlifts because we can use these in our reconditioned range. Other models are considered depending on their age and condition. Give us a call on 0800 046 3438 for an instant quote.
Visit our YouTube channel here and see some of our removals and installations.