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There are times when we end up purchasing a stair lift that we didn’t need. Or perhaps you purchased it for an elderly loved one who has passed away or recently relocated to a nursing home or other round-the-clock care facility. If you’re in the unfortunate situation of needing to return a slightly used stairlift, this article is for you.
Companies usually do not buy back used stairlifts, but you may find the occasional one who will. More often than not, however, you’ll have to sell your stairlift to a third-party company that can reuse it.
Today, we’ll take a look at why companies usually do not buy back stairlifts and what you can do to get rid of them after use.
Why Don’t Companies Buy Back Stairlifts?
Most of the time, companies do not buy back stairlifts because they are made uniquely for the staircase they were used for. Not only does the company not have anything they can do with the stairlift once it’s removed, but there’s also no way for them to change the size of the stairlift to fit a different set of stairs.
Some companies, such as Independent Home Solutions, will buy back their own stairlifts, but even in this situation, there are special requirements for the stairlift. The stairlift must be in good operating condition and have no cosmetic or mechanical issues.
In most situations, if a stairlift has been used, it will have some degree of damage. When the person using the stairlift sits in the chair, the weight alone can often cause some degree of damage. In addition, the chair scraping across the railing as it rises and falls usually causes issues.
The reality is that there’s just no use for companies to take back a used stair lift, at least in most cases. The companies who are willing to take them back will often attempt to find a staircase of a very similar size and install the stairlift there.
Is Returning a Stairlift a Liability Issue for the Company?
Liability issues are another reason that companies typically don’t buy back stairlifts.
If the stairlift has been used, it’s not as safe as a brand-new one. The company knows this, and so do its customers. If the stairlift were to come loose from the wall or break in some other way while someone was on it, the company would be held legally responsible.
Even if the stairlift is examined thoroughly before it’s returned to the company and all things appear to be in good working order, that’s not always the case. There are lots of hidden issues that may manifest later on.
The company also faces liability in the loss of profits with a used stairlift. As I mentioned, customers know that used stairlifts aren’t as safe as new ones, and the chances that the company is going to be able to reinstall the stairlift on a new staircase are slim to none. The customers want quality work.
The situation where this may be an exception is when a customer is heavily struggling with finances. In this case, they may be more than willing to accept a used staircase.
Where Can You Send Your Used Stairlift if the Company Won’t Take It Back?
The good news is that a stairlift isn’t permanent. Tons of third-party companies will come out and uninstall your stairlift and haul it away for minimal costs. Is Adding a Stair Lift a Permanent Addition?
These companies operate on taking used stairlifts because they know that the original company probably isn’t going to take them back. Where they take them is anyone’s guess, but we’ll get into that soon.
If you don’t want to send your stairlift with a third-party company, you can also donate it, though you’ll still have to hire someone to come out and uninstall it. This isn’t a process you want to try to do yourself since you can easily become injured.
If you choose to donate your stairlift, it will likely go to good use rather than ending up in a scrapyard or something similar. Usually, these stairlifts go to veterans who are in need, but they can go anywhere.
You can also resell your stairlift on your own if you prefer that a third-party company doesn’t take it. You can make posts on Craigslist, Nextdoor, or various classified sites. Unfortunately, used stairlifts don’t always sell that well. Hence, it’s often better to donate them or allow another company to take them to the recycling plant, even if you feel like you’re losing a little money in the process.
One thing to note is that if you are simply replacing the stairlift and installing a new one, the new company will almost always remove your old stairlift for free.
Where Can I Donate My Stairlift?
You can donate your used stairlift to a myriad of charity organizations. Some of the best ones are listed below:
- Home Builder’s Foundation
- Good Health Will
- Kids Mobility Network
- Vietnam Veterans of America
- Project Cure
- MS Society
- Dominican Home Health Agency
- Assistance League (Hospital lending Equipment)
Wherever you decide to donate the stairlift, rest assured that it will go to good use.
Where Do Third-Party Companies Take Your Used Stairlift?
In most cases, once a third-party company removes your stairlift, they take it to a recycling plant. This can feel like a major waste, especially if the stairlift was fairly new, but it’s an environmentally conscious decision.
Usually, the companies will charge a small fee to uninstall your stairlift and take it to the recycling plant, where it will meet a happy end. When you think about it, this is actually a much better option than trying to handle it yourself.
Stairlifts come with many moving parts, such as batteries, cables, tacks, the seat, and various plastic and metal parts. It can be a lot to handle on your own, and it’s always better to just allow the technicians to come out, uninstall the stairlift, and send it off to the recycling plant.
Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, companies don’t usually buy back used stairlifts, but that doesn’t mean that there are no good places for them to end up.
In general, they don’t do a buyback program because there isn’t enough use for a stairlift that has already been used for any length of time. The company also faces liability issues if they receive back a used stairlift.
If you need to remove your stairlift, you can do so through a third-party company or by donating it. In most cases, no matter what you choose, you’ll need to have a technician come and uninstall it.
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