Selling Stair Lifts, Mobility Scooters, Riser Chairs and Adjustable Beds.

We receive a large number of emails via our help My Mobility website each year from people in the UK who are looking to sell mobility aids such as Stair Lifts, Mobility Scooters, Riser Chairs and Adjustable Beds. 

Very often this task is left to a friend or relative as the mobility aid has been made redundant due to failing health or death of the user.
For many people the first call is made to the company which sold the mobility aid in the first place. Unfortunately the majority of mobility shops or on line dealers are not really interested in purchasing second hand equipment unless the customer is trading in to upgrade to a newer model, due to the cost of collection and resale. There are also issues for mobility companies selling used mobility aids as they have to honour a warrantee on the product even though they do now the history of the item.
There are however generally private buyers prepared to purchase a mobility aid on a sold as seen basis, without a warrantee. It is highly recommended that any second hand purchase is professionally serviced and checked before use to ensure safety. 

Thus many customers have to sell the item privately via the following outlets; 

• Local Press – Many people find local and free distribution newspapers an excellent way of advertising a mobility aid for sale to prospective buyers in their area. There are normally local buyers looking for a cheap deal who would be happy purchase for the right price. Some press titles offer free advertising, however if you are using paid advertisements make sure you price the item correctly, as it is easy to spend a lot of money on lengthy advertisements with no response.
• eBay – As the main UK online auction site, eBay contains many listings for mobility products. It offers a relatively low advertising cost and ensures are large number of potential buyers, on a national basis, can view your item. Due to the nature of the auction process this is a good way to find the real value of the item, based on what real bidders are prepared to pay. If you are selling via this medium ensure you are clear about your delivery or collection policy and give accurate information on the actual condition and age of the item.
• Other Website – To help customers the Help My Mobility group has launched a free advertising portal via www.mobility-sale.co.uk for UK customer looking to sell Stair Lifts, Mobility Scooters, Riser Chairs and Adjustable Beds. This website offers free advertisements which can be uploaded via a simple on line registration process.
In respect to stair lifts, there are a small number of national companies will purchase recently installed lifts in good condition. However due to the costs involved in dismantling the stair lift and collection such companies normal offer only a fraction of the products original value. This service is often restricted to straight stair lifts, as curved versions are built on a bespoke basis to fit one individual property. Stair Lifts can be sold privately, however the buyer will need to employ a specialist engineer to dismantle and reinstall the lift in the new location. This process may well void any manufacture warrantee on the product and there are concerns from many manufactures regarding this process with respect to health and safety regulations.