How to Choose a Lift Company in the UK — 7 Things to Check

1. Check They Specialise in Your Lift Type

The lift industry is more specialised than most people realise. A company that excels at installing commercial cabin lifts may have limited experience with residential through-floor home lifts. A company with deep expertise in curved incline platform lifts may have little experience with outdoor step lifts. A dumb waiter specialist may have no experience with wheelchair platform lifts.

Before appointing any company, confirm that they have specific, demonstrable experience with the exact type of lift you need — not just lifts in general. Ask how many installations of that specific type they have completed in the past 12 months. Ask to see examples of similar installations. Ask whether the engineers who would install your lift are trained and certified specifically for that lift type.

A company that is vague about its experience with your specific lift type, or that claims to install every type of lift with equal expertise, should be approached with caution. The best lift companies tend to have clear areas of specialisation that they are proud to demonstrate.

2. Check Their Compliance Credentials

Lift installation in the UK is a regulated activity. Depending on the type of lift, installations must comply with specific British and European standards — including BS EN 81-40 for incline platform lifts, BS 5900 for through-floor home lifts, BS 6440 for vertical platform lifts, and BS EN 81-20 for passenger lifts. Commercial installations must also comply with Part M of the Building Regulations and meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 where applicable.

Before appointing any company, ask which standards their installations comply with and ask to see evidence — not just a verbal assurance. A reputable company will have no hesitation in providing compliance documentation, including CE or UKCA marking on products, Building Regulations certificates from previous installations, and evidence of LOLER compliance for any lift used in a commercial setting.

Also check whether the company is a member of a recognised industry association. The British Healthcare Trades Association and the Lift and Escalator Industry Association are the two most relevant bodies for the UK lift sector. Membership is not mandatory but indicates a commitment to industry standards and a willingness to be held accountable to a code of practice.

3. Check Their Insurance

Any lift company working on your property must carry adequate public liability insurance — covering damage to your property or injury to any person arising from their work. The minimum level of public liability cover for a lift installation company should be £2 million, and many reputable companies carry £5 million or more.

Ask for evidence of current insurance before any work begins — not just a verbal confirmation. A reputable company will provide a copy of their current insurance certificate without hesitation. If a company is reluctant to provide this, it is a significant warning sign.

Also check that the company carries employers liability insurance if they employ engineers directly — this is a legal requirement for any company with employees and its absence indicates a company that is cutting corners on its legal obligations.

4. Check Reviews and References

Customer reviews are one of the most reliable indicators of a lift company's real-world performance — not the quality of their website or sales pitch. Before appointing any company, check their reviews on independent platforms including Google, Trustpilot, and Checkatrade. Pay particular attention to reviews that mention the specific type of lift you are having installed, and look for patterns in both positive and negative feedback.

Be cautious of companies with very few reviews — this may indicate a new business with limited track record, or a company that has not actively encouraged customers to leave feedback. Also be cautious of companies with a suspiciously high proportion of five-star reviews posted within a short period — this can sometimes indicate solicited or incentivised reviews rather than genuine customer feedback.

Ask the company directly for references from customers who have had the same type of lift installed as the one you are considering. A reputable company will be able to provide references without difficulty. If they are unable or unwilling to do so, this is a concern.

5. Check What the Warranty Covers

Lift warranties vary considerably between manufacturers and installers — and the detail of what is and is not covered matters significantly. Before appointing any company, ask for the full terms of the warranty in writing and check the following specific points.

How long is the warranty? Most reputable lift manufacturers offer a minimum of 12 months parts and labour warranty on new installations. Some offer two to five years as standard. Be cautious of very short warranties — six months or less — which may indicate a company that lacks confidence in the quality of its products.

What does the warranty cover? A comprehensive warranty should cover both parts and labour for any fault that arises from manufacturing defects or installation errors. Some warranties cover parts only — leaving you to pay labour costs for any repair visit during the warranty period. This is a common source of customer dissatisfaction that should be clarified before signing any contract.

Who carries out warranty repairs? Ideally, warranty repairs should be carried out by the installing company or the manufacturer's own engineers — not subcontracted to third parties. Ask this question explicitly and get the answer in writing.

Is the warranty transferable? If you sell your property before the warranty expires, can the new owner benefit from the remaining warranty period? For home lifts in particular, a transferable warranty adds value to the property and is worth requesting.

6. Check the Survey Process

A reputable lift company will always conduct a thorough survey of your property before providing a quotation. This survey visit should be carried out by a qualified surveyor or engineer — not a salesperson — and should result in a detailed written quotation that specifies the exact lift model, specification, installation method, lead time, and total cost inclusive of all associated works.

Be very cautious of any company that provides a firm quotation without visiting your property first. Lift installations are site-specific — the dimensions of the staircase, ceiling height, floor structure, available space, power supply, and many other factors affect the installation method and cost. A company that quotes without surveying either does not understand this or is providing a deliberately low estimate that will be revised upward after the contract is signed.

Also check what the survey visit itself involves. A good surveyor will measure accurately, explain the installation process in detail, answer all of your questions without pressure, and provide a written quotation within a reasonable timeframe after the visit — typically five to ten working days.

7. Check the After-Sales and Servicing Commitment

A lift installation is not a one-off transaction. Your lift will need annual servicing for domestic installations or six-monthly LOLER inspections for commercial ones — for its entire operational life. The relationship with your lift company does not end on installation day.

Before appointing any company, check whether they offer ongoing service and maintenance contracts and what these cover. A company that installs lifts but does not offer ongoing servicing will leave you having to find a different engineer for maintenance — which can be difficult and more expensive than having a maintenance relationship with the installing company.

Also check the company's response times for emergency callouts. If your lift breaks down — particularly in a domestic setting where a family member relies on it for daily living — how quickly can you expect a response? Reputable companies will commit to specific response times for emergency callouts and should have engineers covering your geographic area.

Ask whether the company stocks spare parts for the specific lift model being installed. A company that has to order parts from a manufacturer abroad for every repair will have longer repair times than one that keeps a stock of common spare parts for its products.

The Easier Way — Use Platform Lift UK

Checking all seven of the above points for every company you consider is time-consuming, and most homeowners and businesses do not know enough about the lift industry to assess the answers confidently. This is exactly the problem that Platform Lift UK exists to solve.

Platform Lift UK is a free, independent lift company matching service. We assess every company before including them in our network — checking their specific installation experience, compliance credentials, insurance, customer feedback, warranty terms, survey process, and after-sales commitment on your behalf.

When you submit an enquiry through the Platform Lift UK website, we take the time to understand your specific requirements — lift type, property, location, and budget — and match you with the right vetted company from our network. You receive a free no-obligation survey and quotation from a company that has already passed our assessment criteria, without spending hours researching and checking companies yourself.

Our service costs nothing to homeowners or businesses. It is funded by the lift companies in our network who pay to receive qualified leads. This means our advice is genuinely independent — we have no financial preference for any specific manufacturer or company and no reason to recommend any company that does not meet our standards.

If you are researching lift companies for a home or commercial installation, the simplest and most reliable first step is to submit an enquiry on the Platform Lift UK website. Tell us what you need, where you are, and what type of property you have — and we will do the rest.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if a lift company is reputable? Check their reviews on Google and Trustpilot, ask for references from similar installations, confirm their compliance credentials and insurance, and check whether they are a member of a relevant industry association. Alternatively, submit an enquiry through Platform Lift UK — every company in our network has already been assessed against these criteria.

Should I get multiple quotes for a lift installation? Yes — getting two to three quotes from different companies allows you to compare not just price but specification, warranty terms, and the quality of the survey process. Platform Lift UK can arrange multiple quotes from vetted companies covering your area through a single enquiry.

What should I do if a lift company asks for full payment upfront? Do not pay in full before the lift is installed and commissioned. A reasonable deposit — typically 25 to 30 percent of the total cost — at the point of order is standard practice. A company asking for full payment before installation begins is a significant warning sign.

Is the cheapest lift company the worst? Not necessarily — but a quotation that is significantly lower than others for the same specification warrants careful scrutiny. Ask what has been excluded from the quotation, check the warranty terms, and confirm the compliance credentials of the product being supplied. Price alone is never a reliable indicator of quality in either direction.

How long should a lift installation take from enquiry to completion? This varies significantly by lift type. A straight staircase step lift or platform lift can typically be surveyed, manufactured, and installed within four to eight weeks of initial enquiry. A through-floor home lift typically takes eight to twelve weeks. A curved incline platform lift typically takes twelve to sixteen weeks due to the custom rail manufacturing required.

How do I get started with Platform Lift UK? Simply submit an enquiry on the Platform Lift UK website. Tell us about your property, your lift requirement, and your location. We will assess your requirements, match you with the right vetted company, and arrange a free no-obligation survey — at no cost to you.

CLOSING SECTION

Choosing the right lift company matters — and the seven checks in this guide will help you make a more informed decision. But if you would rather have the checking done for you by an independent service that has already assessed every company in its network, Platform Lift UK is here to help.

Submit your enquiry on the Platform Lift UK website today. Free independent advice, vetted companies, no obligation — and no cost to you at any stage.