If you change your mind about a stairlift order, the right to cancel depends on how the contract was made and what has been supplied. Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, many distance and off-premises sales carry a 14-day cooling-off period, but bespoke made-to-measure items such as curved rails are treated differently.[1][2]
Your 14-day cancellation right
Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, consumers usually get a 14-day right to cancel when they buy at a distance or off-premises, such as by phone, online or during a home visit.[1][2][3]
For goods, the 14 days normally start the day after you, or someone you nominate, receives the item.[2][3] For services, the 14 days usually start the day after the contract is made.[2][3]
When the right to cancel does not apply
This right is not unlimited. The Regulations include exemptions, and one of the most important for stairlifts is bespoke or personalised goods.[1][6]
That means a made-to-measure curved rail will usually fall outside the standard cooling-off rules once it has been specified for your staircase.[1][6]
By contrast, a straightforward order for a standard product, such as a straight stairlift, is more likely to remain cancellable within the 14-day period if the contract is otherwise within scope of the Regulations.[2][3]
Deposits and cancelling before work starts
If you cancel within the cooling-off period, any deposit paid is normally refundable in full.[5]
If you have asked for work to begin during the cancellation period, the business may keep an amount that reflects services already provided before cancellation, but it cannot simply keep money for work not yet done.[5]
In practice, the safest point to cancel is before survey, manufacture or installation begins. That reduces the risk of costs being incurred and avoids arguments about partially completed work or bespoke manufacture.[1][5][6]
Refund timing and returns
For a goods contract, you usually have to return the item within 14 days of cancellation.[1][2][3]
The seller must then refund you without undue delay and, in any event, within 14 days of receiving the goods back or evidence that they have been returned.[1][2][3]
Refunds normally include the original standard delivery charge, although the trader may be able to deduct for diminished value if the goods have been handled beyond what was needed to inspect them.[1][2][3]
How this works with Manchester Stairlifts
At Manchester Stairlifts, we keep the position straightforward so customers know where they stand before any order is progressed. If you are considering a straight stairlift, a reconditioned stairlift or a curved stairlift, it is sensible to raise any cancellation concerns before authorising a survey, deposit or manufacture.[2][5]
Our fitted prices are fixed at £1,995 for straight, £995 for reconditioned and £2,995 for curved, with lead times of 24–48 hours for straight and reconditioned installations and 1–3 weeks for curved installations, or 48-hour Emergency where available. If you are unsure whether your order is covered by the cooling-off rules, contact our team before work begins.[2][5]
Related pages
Frequently asked questions
Do I have a 14-day cooling-off period for a stairlift order?
Yes, if the contract is made at a distance or off-premises, the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 normally give you 14 days to cancel without giving a reason. For goods, that period usually starts the day after you or your chosen person receive the goods; for services, it starts the day after the contract is made.[2][3]
Are curved stairlifts exempt from cancellation?
For standard stairlifts, yes, a cancellation right will usually apply if the order is made by phone, online or at your home and the lift is not exempt. For made-to-measure curved rails, the position is different because bespoke or personalised goods are exempt from the cooling-off rules.[1][6]
Is my deposit refundable if I cancel?
If you cancel during the cooling-off period, any deposit paid should normally be refunded in full. If you asked us to start work during the cooling-off period, a business may be able to keep a proportion that covers the work already carried out, but only for services genuinely provided before cancellation.[5]
Can I cancel before the survey or manufacture starts?
You can cancel before survey, manufacture or installation, and that is usually the simplest point to do so. Once a curved rail has been measured and made for your staircase, cancellation rights may no longer apply in the same way because the product is bespoke.[1][6]
How long does a refund take after I cancel?
If you cancel a goods contract, you usually need to return the item within 14 days of cancellation, and the seller must refund you without undue delay and within 14 days of getting the goods back or proof of return. Standard delivery costs are normally refunded too, although a business may be able to deduct for diminished value if the item has been handled more than necessary.[1][2][3]
Does this apply to Manchester Stairlifts orders too?
Yes, if you are arranging a straight stairlift or a reconditioned stairlift from Manchester Stairlifts, the same consumer cancellation rules still apply where the contract is covered by the Regulations. Our straight stairlifts are fitted from £1,995 and reconditioned stairlifts from £995, with typical lead times of 24–48 hours, so it is worth checking the cancellation position before authorising any survey or installation.[2][5]
Book a free home survey
Call 0161 330 5544 or request a callback. A local engineer will measure your stairs and give you a fixed price on the day — no pressure, no obligation.
Not sure which stairlift you need?
Book a free no-obligation home survey. A local engineer will measure your stairs and recommend the right lift — usually within 48 hours.