Breakdowns · 11 lift makers checked · every published repair price · 4 October 2026
We read the breakdown and aftercare pages of 11 home lift makers on 4 October 2026. None publishes how fast an engineer will come out or what a call-out costs, and one maker’s emergency line closes at 10pm. Here is what to do when a home lift stops, what each problem usually means, and what a repair costs.
Someone is in the lift now
- Stay in the car and keep calm. A stopped home lift holds its position. Do not force the doors or climb out between floors. HSE says emergency unlocking should be done “only in exceptional circumstances and by suitably trained and authorised people”.
- Use the alarm or phone in the car. Stiltz fits a phone as standard; Aritco and Gartec use an autodialler; Terry’s phone needs a landline connection.
- If the power has gone off, the battery should bring the lift to a floor. On a Cibes lift, press any floor button and it goes to the next floor. See how each maker’s battery back-up works.
- If it is a fault, only lower the lift from outside if the maker allows it and you were shown how. Terry, Aritco and Gartec all describe lowering from outside the lift; Gartec limits it to someone trained at handover.
- Call the breakdown line for your lift. The numbers and hours each maker publishes are in the table below.
- If the person inside is unwell or injured, or you cannot reach them, call 999.
The short answer
- Most stops are minor: a door not latched, the emergency stop pressed, a sensor touched by something in the way, a tripped breaker or a low battery.
- A call-out costs £110 to £195 a visit at the two dealers that print a price, before parts. Guides put out-of-hours call-outs at £150 to £300 or more.
- Typical repairs run from £100 to £300 for a door or sensor up to £300 to £700 for a hydraulic leak, according to MyBuilder’s cost guide.
- No maker we checked publishes an engineer response time, so get one in writing before you sign a service contract.
- Servicing is the cheapest repair. Published service prices run from £195 to £750 a year: see what servicing costs.
Common home lift problems and what they mean
Pick what your lift is doing, or read all seven. Each card says what usually causes it, what you can safely check, and when to stop and call.
Nothing happens, no lights or display
Usually power. Check the lift’s isolator switch and its circuit breaker or fuse in your consumer unit. In a power cut most home lifts only use the battery to take you down, so they will not go back up until the power returns.
Next: If the breaker trips again straight away, leave it off and call your servicer. Repeated tripping is an electrical fault (MyBuilder puts wiring faults at £200 to £500).
Lights on but it will not move
The commonest cause is a door or gate that is not fully shut and latched, because the lift will not run with a door open. Then check the emergency stop button has not been pressed, the key switch (if fitted) is on, and nothing on the floor or roof of the car is pressing a safety edge.
Next: If every door is latched and it still will not move, call. Door and sensor faults are typically £100 to £300 to fix.
It stops part-way or jolts to a halt
Something has touched a safety edge, a light curtain or the sensor under the car. Look for a bag strap, a walking stick, a toy or a pet in the gap. Many lifts also stop if you let go of a hold-to-run button.
Next: If it stops repeatedly with nothing in the way, a sensor may need cleaning or adjusting. Book the engineer rather than reset it over and over.
It is beeping or showing an alarm
A beep is the lift warning you. The usual reasons are a door left open, too much weight, the alarm button pressed, or a battery that is low or not charging. What each sound means differs by model, so check the user manual or the lift’s display.
Next: A battery warning is not something to ignore: the battery is what brings you down in a power cut. Replacement batteries are around £50 to £100, according to MyBuilder.
An error code on the display
Write the code down exactly, along with what you were doing when it appeared. No maker we checked publishes its list of codes, so the code is for the engineer.
Next: Read the code to the breakdown line. Control-system faults are typically £150 to £400.
It creeps down when parked (hydraulic lifts)
A hydraulic lift that settles slowly when parked usually has a leak in its hydraulic system. Screw-driven, rope and vacuum lifts do not behave this way.
Next: Stop using it and book an engineer. MyBuilder puts hydraulic leaks at £300 to £700.
Noisier, slower or juddering
Usually wear: rollers, guide shoes, belts or lubrication. It rarely stops the lift on the day, but it is the fault most likely to turn into one.
Next: Bring the next service forward. General wear repairs run from £200 to £1,000.
Repair ranges are from MyBuilder’s home lift cost guide (updated 21 August 2026), the only UK source we found that itemises home lift repairs. They are estimates, not quotes, and MyBuilder does not say whether they include VAT. Never open panels or override a safety device yourself.
Five checks before you call
- Doors and gates. Push every landing door, gate and car door firmly shut until it latches, on both floors.
- Emergency stop. If it has been pressed, reset it the way your user manual shows. Many twist or pull out.
- Power. Check the lift’s isolator and its breaker or fuse. Reset a tripped breaker once only.
- Obstructions. Look along the door tracks, under the car and on the car roof for anything pressing a safety edge or blocking a sensor.
- Keys and controls. Check any key switch is on and, on hold-to-run lifts, that the button is held for the whole trip.
If none of that works, note any error code and what happened just before, then call. That information shortens the visit.
What the 11 makers promise when a lift breaks down
We read every breakdown, aftercare, FAQ and safety page we could find on each maker’s UK site. All the quotes below were re-read in a browser on 4 October 2026.
| Maker | In a power cut | Lowering from outside, alarm and phone | Breakdown line and hours | Engineer response time | Call-out price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| StiltzFAQ · Duo page | Battery back-up as standard lets you “gently descend to the lower level” | Phone fitted as standard in the lift. Manual lowering: not published | Engineers “on call 24/7”. Breakdowns: 0330 053 5749 | Not published | Not published |
| Lifton made by Stiltz GroupFAQ · Why Lifton | Battery back-up as standard, descends to the lower level | Not published | “around the clock, 365 days a year” | Not published | Not published |
| Terry LiftsMaintenance page · FAQ | Battery lowers you to the ground floor; batteries run “up to 30 cycles” | Manual lowering “with assistance from outside the lift”. Phone on selected models, needs a landline | 01565 752 800. Office 08:30 to 17:00 weekdays. Emergency 17:00 to 22:00 weekdays, 08:00 to 22:00 weekends. No overnight cover stated | Not published. Its aim: “If we can’t repair your lift on the same day, we will do our best to return the following day” | Not published |
| StannahHome platform lifts | Not on the pages we could read | Not on the pages we could read | “24/7, 365 days a year emergency callout support” (home platform lifts) | Not published | Not published |
| CibesFAQ · Service page | Battery back-up as standard. Press any floor button and the lift goes to the next floor “without outside help” | The user, from inside the lift. Alarm and phone checked at each service | 24/7 telephone helpline for service-contract customers | Not published | Not published |
| AritcoSafety page · FAQ | Runs on batteries to the nearest floor | Lowered “from the service panel outside the lift”. Alarm button linked to an autodialer | Through its dealers (Gartec in the UK) | Not published | Not published |
| Gartec also Aritco’s UK dealerFAQ · Packages | Battery lowering to the next floor | Reset and battery-lowered from the outside control box “by a confident and trained person (who was provided a handover)”. Alarm plus phone or autodialler | 01296 397 100, option 4. Out of hours, an on-call engineer rings you back | Not published | Not published. Its entry package gets “reduced rates on call-outs during business hours” |
| SWIFTBattery page · Packages | Battery pack keeps it running “even if your home has a mains power outage” | Not published | “SWIFT Hotline with prompt assistance”, hours not stated | Not published | Not published. Parts and labour are covered only on its £1,550 a year package |
| Wessex LiftsMaintenance page · VM brochure | Battery back-up and manual lowering return you to the ground floor | Who may lower it: not published. In-car alarm; phone optional | Engineers “on call 24 hours a day”, but “Response outside these hours will incur additional costs” | Not published | Not published |
| CompanionFAQ | Battery takes you to the ground floor, where you leave by a manual release | Not published | 03700 118282, “24 hours per day, 365 days per year” | Not published | Not published |
| PollockMaintenance page · FAQ | Battery back-up lets the lift “gently descend to the lower level” | Not published | 24-hour call-out, 7 days, for lifts under warranty. +44 (0)28 9336 8167, ext 2 | Not published | Not published |
“Not published” means we found nothing on the pages listed. Stannah’s home lift pages need JavaScript and showed us no content, so its row covers only the residential platform lifts page on stannahlifts.co.uk.
What the table shows
- None of the 11 publishes how fast an engineer will come out, and none publishes a call-out price. The nearest thing to a promise is Terry’s: if it can’t fix the lift the same day, it “will do our best to return the following day”.
- Terry’s emergency line stops at 10pm. Its published cover is 17:00 to 22:00 on weekdays and 08:00 to 22:00 at weekends. No other maker states a gap like this.
- Wessex is the only maker that says out-of-hours help costs extra. It does not say how much.
- Who can lower the lift depends on the maker. Cibes says the user can do it from inside without help. Terry needs someone outside. Gartec limits it to a person trained at handover.
- Only Cibes publishes step-by-step instructions for owners, and only for a power cut. No maker publishes its error codes or what its beeps mean.
What a home lift breakdown costs
We looked for every published UK price for a home lift call-out, repair or part. Very few companies print one. Stairlift-only prices are left out.
| Who publishes it | What for | Price | VAT basis | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obam (through-floor lift dealer, East Midlands and Yorkshire)dealer | Repair visit | £130, or £110 if paid on the day | not stated | Source |
| 1st Choice Home Lifts (Stiltz and Wessex servicer)dealer | Call-out | from £195 | not stated | Source |
| My Mobility UKdealer guide | Emergency call-out | £100 to £250, “plus parts if required” | not stated | Source |
| SWIFTmaker’s cost guide | Call-out outside working hours | £150 to £300 or more, “before any parts or labour” | not stated | Source |
| MyBuildercost guide | Door or sensor fault | £100 to £300 | not stated | Source |
| MyBuildercost guide | Control system or software fault | £150 to £400 | not stated | Source |
| MyBuildercost guide | Electrical fault from wiring | £200 to £500 | not stated | Source |
| MyBuildercost guide | Hydraulic leak | £300 to £700 | not stated | Source |
| MyBuildercost guide | General wear of components | £200 to £1,000 | not stated | Source |
| MyBuildercost guide | Replacement batteries | £50 to £100 | not stated | Source |
| Home Lift Removalsspecialist | Remove the lift and reinstate the ceiling | £1,200 to £1,500 by region | not stated | Source |
Prices as published on 4 October 2026. Obam’s page lists the figure under “Repair Costs” without saying whether parts are included. No source in this table states a VAT basis. A lift installed for a disabled person in their own home is zero-rated for repairs too: see VAT on a home lift.
Plans that include breakdown cover
| Company | What the plan says about breakdowns | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Mobilitybase (Kent) | Home lift plans from £145 a year. Silver and Gold add “24/7 priority breakdown cover including evenings and weekends” | Source |
| Cibes | £350, £650 or £1,250 a year by trips per day. Includes a 24/7 helpline. Call-outs not mentioned | Source |
| Gartec | From £350 a year. The entry package gets “reduced rates on call-outs during business hours” | Source |
| SWIFT | Standard £550 a year. Enhanced £1,050 adds free parts. Comprehensive £1,550 adds free parts and labour | Source |
| Wessex Lifts | Bronze: call-outs and parts extra. Silver: call-outs included, parts extra. Gold: both included. No prices published, and the page says it is “current as of 2022” | Source |
Only Mobilitybase and SWIFT give both a price and a statement of what breakdown cover is included. None of the five states a VAT basis.
Is full breakdown cover worth paying for? The £1,000 gap between SWIFT’s Standard and Comprehensive packages would pay for about five call-outs at 1st Choice’s £195 starting price, before parts. A newer lift that breaks down once a year is cheaper paid per visit. An older lift, or one that someone cannot manage without, is the case for full cover, because the plan also fixes what the visit costs. For reference, Raven Housing Trust’s contract works out at £277 per lift per year for servicing and 24/7 breakdowns across 65 lifts, most of them stairlifts.
How reliable are home lifts?
Nobody publishes failure rates for home lifts. None of the 11 makers gives a breakdown rate, and only Aritco gives a lifespan figure, “at least 25 years”, which sits under a question about commercial lifts on its FAQ.
The only published service record we found comes from a dealer. Obam, which fits and services through-floor lifts, says “95% of breakdowns are attended the same day” and “70% of issues are resolved on the first visit”, with parts usually arriving within 48 hours. That is one firm’s own figure, not an industry rate, but it is more than any maker prints.
What the makers do agree on is the cure: regular servicing. Stiltz and Companion recommend a service once a year. Cibes says “No maintenance, no manufacturer warranty”, and SWIFT’s warranty requires servicing by SWIFT or its partners.
Repair, replace or remove?
Most faults cost a few hundred pounds to fix, so repair is the usual answer. Replacement starts to make sense when a lift is out of warranty, the same fault keeps coming back, parts take weeks, or the person using it now needs something the lift cannot do, such as carrying a wheelchair. If you no longer need it, a specialist charges £1,200 to £1,500 to remove a through-floor lift and reinstate the ceiling.
Repair bill too high, or lift no longer right? Compare replacement quotes
Tell us about your home and the lift you need, and we’ll pass your details to installers who cover your area. Ask each one for its engineer response time, its out-of-hours hours and what a call-out costs. It’s free, with no obligation. If your lift has stopped right now, call its breakdown line first.
Six breakdown questions to ask before you buy
- How quickly will an engineer come, in hours, and is that in writing? No maker publishes it, so the contract is the only place it exists.
- What are the breakdown line’s hours? Ask about nights. Terry’s published emergency cover ends at 22:00.
- What does a call-out cost in and out of hours, and is it included in the warranty and in each service plan?
- Who can lower the lift if it stops, and will you be shown how at handover?
- How many trips does the battery give in a power cut? Answers we found range from a single descent to normal use.
- Does the in-car phone need a landline, a SIM or Wi-Fi? A phone that relies on a landline you no longer have will not call anyone.
Does a home lift need a LOLER inspection?
Usually not in a private home. HSE says “in most cases lifting equipment which is not provided for, or used by, people at work (eg stair lifts in private dwellings …) will not be subject to either LOLER or PUWER” (HSE). HSE’s example is stairlifts, not home lifts, but the test is the same: whether anyone uses the lift at work. A lift provided by a council, or used by paid carers, can fall under LOLER and its six-monthly thorough examinations. Our servicing guide covers what that costs.
Home lift breakdown questions
What do I do if my home lift stops between floors?
Stay in the lift, do not try to force the doors, and use the alarm or phone in the car. If the power has gone off, most home lifts lower to a floor on battery; on a Cibes lift you press any floor button. If it is a fault, call the maker or your servicer. Only someone the maker has shown how should lower the lift from outside. If the person inside is unwell or at risk, call 999.
Why has my home lift stopped working?
The usual causes are a door or gate not fully shut and latched, the emergency stop pressed, a safety edge or sensor triggered by something in the way, a tripped breaker, or a low battery. If the doors are latched, nothing is in the way and the power is on, call your servicer.
How much does a home lift call-out cost?
The two dealers we found that print a price charge £110 to £130 (Obam) and from £195 (1st Choice) for a visit, before parts. Cost guides put an emergency call-out at £100 to £250 and an out-of-hours call-out at £150 to £300 or more. None of the 11 home lift makers we checked publishes a call-out price.
How quickly will a home lift engineer come out?
No maker we checked publishes a response time. Terry Lifts aims to return the following day if it cannot fix the lift the same day. Obam, a through-floor lift dealer, says 95% of its breakdowns are attended the same day. Ask for the response time in writing before you sign a service contract.
Does a home lift work in a power cut?
Every maker whose pages we could read fits a battery for power cuts, but most use it only to take you down to a floor. Terry says its batteries last up to 30 cycles, and SWIFT says its lifts keep running on their battery pack. Stiltz and Lifton describe a descent to the lower level.
Is a home lift breakdown covered by the warranty?
Most makers give a 12-month parts and labour warranty, and Aritco gives five years. None of the 11 says in plain terms whether an out-of-hours call-out is free under warranty, and Wessex says response outside office hours costs extra. Pollock offers a 24-hour call-out service for lifts under warranty.
Does a home lift in a private house need a LOLER inspection?
Usually not. HSE says lifting equipment not provided for, or used by, people at work, such as stairlifts in private homes, will in most cases not be subject to LOLER. A lift provided by a council or used by paid carers can be different, so check with whoever provided it.
How we checked this. On 4 October 2026 we read the breakdown, aftercare, FAQ, warranty and safety pages on the UK websites of 11 home lift makers: Stiltz, Lifton, Terry Lifts, Stannah, Cibes, Aritco, Gartec, SWIFT, Wessex Lifts, Companion and Pollock. Every quote in the maker table was re-read in a browser the same day. We then searched for every published UK price for a home lift call-out, repair or part, and kept only figures we could read on the publisher’s own page. Stairlift prices were left out. Stannah’s home lift pages would not show content to us.
What this page is not. It is not a repair manual. The checks above are ones any owner can do without tools. Anything inside a panel, the machinery or a safety circuit is a job for a trained lift engineer.
Independence. UK Homelifts is an independent guide. No company on this page paid to be included. If you ask for quotes through us, we pass your details to installers.
Related
Servicing guide and costs · Home lift warranties compared · Are home lifts safe? · Removing a home lift · VAT on a home lift · Power cuts and battery back-up · Home lift prices
Compiled by the UK Homelifts research team. Maker pages and prices checked 4 October 2026. We recheck them every quarter.