Passenger lifts are designed to fade into the background of daily life. But when they fail, complaints escalate quickly. From residential towers to hospitals and offices, lift-related disputes have become a common and costly problem for building owners and managers.
Most complaints fall into familiar categories: repeated breakdowns, long waiting times, safety concerns, and poor condition. For passengers, a faulty lift is frustrating; for elderly or disabled users, it can be life-limiting. What begins as a service issue often grows into a dispute when responsibility is unclear or repairs drag on.
Lift disputes are rarely straightforward. Owners, managing agents, maintenance contractors, manufacturers, and installers may all be involved, each pointing elsewhere when problems persist. Maintenance contracts become flashpoints, particularly when breakdowns continue despite regular servicing, or when contractors argue that ageing equipment needs costly modernisation rather than repair.
New buildings are not immune. In fact, poorly commissioned or inadequately designed lift systems in new developments frequently trigger early complaints, especially when promised performance fails to match real-world demand.
This is where lift consultants can make a critical difference. Independent lift consultants sit outside the commercial interests of maintenance companies and manufacturers. Our role is to provide impartial technical advice, assessing performance, reviewing maintenance regimes, and identifying whether faults stem from poor servicing, design shortcomings, or inherent equipment limitations.
We can also help prevent disputes before they arise. By advising at design stage, we ensure lift numbers, speeds, and control systems match building use. During operation, we can audit maintenance contracts, verify compliance with standards, and act as an expert intermediary when disagreements occur.
Just as importantly, lift consultants help translate complex technical issues into clear, evidence-based explanations, supporting building owners in discussions with residents, regulators, or tribunals.
In an era of taller buildings and higher expectations, lifts are no longer just machinery. They are essential services. Engaging a lift consultant such as ARDENT can turn a reactive cycle of complaints into a proactive strategy, keeping buildings moving, disputes contained, and passengers confident that the system beneath their feet is working as it should.
Ardent Lift Consultancy are always happy to talk through any concerns you may have.
01394 200 328 / 07792 395 259
