Buyer Beware! - Our “Cut And Shut” Stair Lift Safety Concerns

 It has been brought to our attention that a number consumers have been misled into thinking that they were purchasing a curved stair lift from the manufacturer, when instead a third party had in fact bought a number of old rails, cut them up and welded them together to resell as a new curved rail.

The term a “cut and shut” is derived from a nefarious practice within the motor industry whereby two written-off vehicles are welded together to form a “new” car that is then sold on to the unsuspecting motorist. Now it seems that this “cut and shut” practice is rearing its ugly head within the stair lift industry. Advertised as new or reconditioned models, the suppliers of these potentially hazardous rails make no attempt to inform their customers of their real origin.

This practice is unsafe and we would urge our readers to be particularly diligent when answering adverts for “bargain” stair lifts. It is always far better and safer to either buy directly from the manufacturer or from one of their authorised trade dealers. If in doubt, always check with the manufacturer who their authorised dealers are. Most companies who provide these types of  “cut and shut” rails will usually only offer a 12-month guarantee due to the increased likelihood of problems arising.