What guarantees or warranties are provided for Acorn stairlift repairs and what do they cover?

Acorn stairlift repair guarantees normally cover the quality of the repair work and, where stated, the replacement parts fitted during that repair. The exact duration, exclusions and conditions are set out on your service report, invoice or other repair paperwork. Parts or faults not included in the agreed repair are not automatically covered, so check the documentation before arranging further work.

A repair guarantee may cover:

• Workmanship: if the same problem returns because the original repair was carried out incorrectly, the company may inspect and rectify the work under the stated guarantee.
• Replacement parts: a part supplied and fitted as part of the repair may have cover for a specified period, subject to the applicable terms. The paperwork should identify the part and explain whether its guarantee is provided by the repairer, the manufacturer or both.
• Adjustments and testing: where these form part of the agreed repair, related follow-up adjustments may be included if the stairlift does not operate as expected after the work.

Cover usually applies only to the repaired fault or the specified parts. It does not normally provide a general warranty for every component of the stairlift. For example, a repair to a charging fault would not necessarily cover a later failure of the carriage motor, batteries, track, controls or safety sensors unless those items were included in the original repair or are covered by a separate agreement.

Guarantees can also be subject to exclusions. A claim may not be accepted where the problem results from accidental damage, misuse, neglect, water ingress, abnormal operating conditions, unauthorised alterations or work carried out by someone else. Normal wear and tear, unrelated faults and consumable items may also fall outside the repair guarantee. If the stairlift has been moved, modified or exposed to damage after the repair, tell the service team when reporting the issue, as this can affect the assessment.

Where a replacement part has its own manufacturer warranty, its terms may differ from the guarantee for the installation work. The part warranty may cover a manufacturing defect but not the labour required to diagnose or replace it after the original repair cover has ended. Your service paperwork should make this distinction clear. If it does not, ask Independent Stairlifts to confirm what is covered before authorising additional work.

To make a claim, keep the repair report and invoice available and contact the service team as soon as the fault reappears. Provide the stairlift model if known, the date of the repair, the work completed and a description of the current symptoms. Do not attempt to dismantle the stairlift or bypass its safety features. A technician may need to inspect the lift to establish whether the issue is the original fault, a covered part or a separate failure.

Before accepting a repair, check that the paperwork records:

• the fault investigated and the work completed;
• any parts supplied or replaced;
• the date the guarantee starts and how long it lasts;
• what labour, call-out or follow-up visits are included;
• any exclusions, maintenance requirements or conditions; and
• the procedure for reporting a problem under the guarantee.

A repair guarantee is in addition to your statutory rights as a consumer; it cannot remove rights that apply when a service has not been carried out with reasonable care and skill. However, statutory rights and a voluntary repair guarantee can operate differently, so the relevant paperwork and the circumstances of the fault should be reviewed together. If you are unsure whether a recurring problem is covered, contact Independent Stairlifts before arranging unrelated work or buying replacement parts.