Does anyone have any experience selling a used stairlift?
Posted by JuanezSanchez@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 8 comments
My uncle passed away recently and I am dealing with his estate... His stairlift was only fitted about 8 months ago so it's like new. The companies that I've contacted about buying it back are offering really low prices. Brand new it cost my uncle £2700 and the highest offer I've had has been £225!! One company said they would sell it on on my behalf and remove it but they would take £490 as a fee for doing that.
I just wondered if anyone had an experience like this or what I could expect value wise. Thanks!
seo1147@reddit
Sorry for your loss, and yeah, unfortunately, this is really common with stairlifts.
The resale market is brutal. Companies know you're motivated to sell and that removal costs money, so they lowball hard. £225 on a £2700 unit is insulting but not surprising.
A few options worth trying:
That £490 "selling fee" sounds steep - get clarity on whether you'd net anything meaningful after.
Realistic private sale expectation? Maybe £400–£700 if you find the right buyer. Not great, but better than trade-in offers. Sometimes, removal cost savings is honestly the only real "value" left in a frustrating reality.
stairliftguru@reddit
Unfortunately, that’s quite common; stairlifts drop significantly in value once they're fitted because they’re tailored to the staircase and are expensive to remove/refit.
Dealers usually offer very little since they factor in removal and refurbishment.
You might get a better return by selling privately (e.g., Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree), or you could consider donating to a charity like Age UK or the British Red Cross if the money back isn’t the primary concern.
Sadl,y you’ll never get near the original cost back.
JuanezSanchez@reddit (OP)
Thankyou for your kind advice, it's all taken care of now
Ultima_Chaos_Z@reddit
Hey, I'm in a very similar position at the moment with a stair lift with no further use.
Did you end up being able to privately sell yours or did you go back through the original installers?
JuanezSanchez@reddit (OP)
Hello my friend if I remember correctly the supplier bought it back for a tiny fraction of the price, but they did take it all away etc. They say that as it's all been cut to a specific length etc then that diminishes the value, but the chair we had was perfect so I think it's a bit of a scam.
Ultima_Chaos_Z@reddit
Thanks for letting me know. I have a feeling we won't be getting close to what my mother paid. I appreciate you messaging back!
JuanezSanchez@reddit (OP)
No problem, it’s was my uncle’s who passed away a few years ago. I guess people are finding themselves in this situation fairly often.
stairliftguru@reddit
You’ve probably sorted it by now, but you’re right, resale values on stairlifts are usually much lower than the original cost, especially since they’re custom-fitted.
Most companies will only offer a few hundred pounds at best, and often charge removal fees.
If you haven’t seen it already, this guide might help: Stairlift Guru – Sell a Stairlift.
It goes over what to expect and the options available when trying to sell one on.