Can You Cancel a Stairlift? Curved Lift Cancellation Terms Compared (2026)

Short answer

Usually yes, including a curved stairlift. The law lets sellers exclude made-to-measure goods from the right to cancel, but none of the four main sellers whose terms we read does that. What you get back is what varies: from a full refund with the lift collected free (Acorn's terms) to deductions that can reach the full price once a lift is installed (Savaria's terms).

Before you sign, ask the seller which clause applies to you, and ask in writing for them not to start making a curved rail until your cooling-off period has passed.

Prices and specs last checked by Look Into on 9 November 2026 · how we picked

What we found

We read the published sales or cancellation terms of four sellers: Acorn, Savaria (which sells the former Handicare range, including through Age UK Mobility), Stannah and TKE.
None of the four says a curved or made-to-measure stairlift cannot be cancelled.
Acorn and Savaria run the cancellation period to 14 days after installation. Stannah lets you cancel any time before installation.
TKE's written terms give a free cancellation only up to 7 days after you pay the deposit. After that it charges 10% of the order value, plus parts it cannot reuse.
Which? advice from May 2024 says a bespoke stairlift cannot be cancelled. The sellers' own terms are more generous than that, though some charge for the rail.

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What the law says

Most stairlifts are sold after a home visit, which makes the sale an off-premises contract under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Three rules matter.

The cancellation period. For a sales contract it ends 14 days after the goods come into your physical possession (regulation 30).
Missing information. If the seller does not give you the cancellation information it is required to, the period runs for up to 12 months longer. If they give it to you later, you get 14 days from when you receive it (regulation 31).
The made-to-measure exception. The right to cancel does not apply to goods made to the consumer's specifications or clearly personalised (regulation 28). A curved rail is built for one staircase, which is why curved stairlifts are often described as non-cancellable.

A seller can always offer more than the law requires. In practice, all four sellers below offer some way out of a curved stairlift order. The difference is in the cost.

What four sellers' own terms say

Published cancellation terms, read on 9 November 2026. Paraphrased; clause numbers given so you can check them. Your own contract and order form take priority.
Seller	When you can cancel	Curved or made-to-measure lifts	What you may be charged
Acorn (Acorn Mobility Services)	Within 14 days after the stairlift is installed ("Right to Cancel")	No exclusion or separate rule	Acorn collects the lift at its expense. You are liable only for loss in value from handling beyond what is needed to check it. No refund for alterations, marks or holes from fitting and removal.
Savaria (formerly Handicare; also sold via Age UK Mobility)	From the contract until 14 days after installation is completed (clause 3.1)	No exclusion, but deductions for parts made to your specification (clause 5.2)	Reasonable deductions for bespoke parts and costs; preparation may start as soon as you order unless you ask it not to. After installation, deductions "may be up to the full value of the purchase price" (5.2).
Stannah (Stannah Lift Services)	Any time before installation (clause 11.A)	Before installation, no difference. After installation, the 14-day money-back guarantee refunds the carriage only, not the custom-made rail (11.B)	A deduction or charge for preparation done at your property (11.A(2)). The post-installation guarantee applies only if the user's health declines significantly or they die within 14 days.
TKE (TK Access Solutions, TKE Home Solutions)	Free up to 7 days after paying the initial deposit and before installation (clause 11.A(1))	Charges for bespoke curved-rail parts that cannot be reused (11.A(2) and 11.B)	After 7 days and before installation: 10% of the total order value plus non-reusable parts. Within 14 days after installation: the same 10% plus parts, if the lift is in its installed condition.

All four documents also say they do not affect your legal rights. Where a written term gives you less than the regulations do, the regulations still apply.

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What it could cost to change your mind

On a curved stairlift priced at £5,500, about the typical figure on our stairlift cost guide, the written terms work out like this if you cancel before installation but after the first week:

Acorn: a full refund, on the terms as written.
Stannah: a refund less the cost of any preparation done at your property.
Savaria: a refund less reasonable deductions for made-to-measure parts and costs already incurred.
TKE: at least £550, which is 10% of £5,500, plus the value of any curved-rail parts that cannot be reused.

Once a curved lift is installed the gap widens. Acorn's terms still allow cancellation within 14 days with collection at its expense. Savaria's allow deductions up to the full price. Stannah refunds only the carriage, and only if the user's health declines or they die.

Which? says bespoke lifts cannot be cancelled

A Which? news article dated 13 May 2024 says that if a stairlift has been made bespoke to your specifications, you won't be able to cancel. That matches the exception in the regulations, but it is stricter than any of the four sellers' published terms. For a buyer, the practical point is the one Which? also makes: read the specific company's terms before you sign, because they decide what you get back.

Before you sign

Ask which cancellation terms apply to your order, and get a copy of the document and the cancellation form. Sellers are required to give you the cancellation information.
Ask in writing for manufacture of a curved rail not to start until your cancellation period has passed. Savaria's terms say preparation starts as soon as you order unless you ask otherwise.
Check the deposit and when it becomes non-refundable. TKE's free window is tied to the date you pay the deposit.
Do not sign on the day if you feel rushed. Acorn's terms, for example, allow an order to be put on hold for up to 90 days.
If your council may pay through a Disabled Facilities Grant, check that before you commit. See stairlift grants.

This page explains published terms and the regulations in general. It is not legal advice. For a dispute, the Citizens Advice consumer helpline can advise and refer cases to Trading Standards.

How we did this

Method.
Item	What we did
Sellers	Four of the best-known UK stairlift brands: Acorn, Handicare (now trading as Savaria Lifts (UK)), Stannah and TKE.
Documents	Acorn's terms page; Savaria's stairlift cancellation terms (hosted by Age UK Mobility); Stannah's stairlift terms of sale as published on 9 November 2026; TKE's stairlift terms of sale, marked updated 08/12/2024. Key clauses were read on the documents themselves on 9 November 2026.
Law	Regulations 28, 30 and 31 of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, read on legislation.gov.uk.

What this page could not check

The order form you would actually sign. Sellers can change terms, and the version on your paperwork is the one that applies.
How the sellers apply these clauses in practice, or what they charge as deductions in real cases.
Smaller and local stairlift companies, whose terms may differ a lot.
Whether any particular term would be found fair by a court. That is outside what a desk review can say.

Common questions

Can I cancel a stairlift after the salesperson's visit?

Usually yes. If you sign at home with a salesperson there, or by phone or email straight after their visit, the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 normally give you a cancellation period. For goods it ends 14 days after the stairlift comes into your possession. Read your own company's terms, because what you get back varies.

Can I cancel a curved stairlift?

The law lets sellers exclude goods made to your specifications from the right to cancel. But none of the four main sellers whose terms we read uses that to refuse cancellation outright. Acorn's terms give 14 days after installation with no carve-out for curved lifts. Stannah lets you cancel before installation. Savaria and TKE allow cancellation but can deduct the cost of made-to-measure parts.

Will I lose my deposit if I cancel a stairlift?

It depends on the company and the timing. Acorn and Stannah's terms promise a refund of what you paid if you cancel in time, less some costs. TKE refunds in full only within 7 days of paying the deposit; after that it charges 10% of the order value plus any parts that cannot be reused.

How long is the cooling-off period for a stairlift?

Under the 2013 regulations, for goods bought at home it normally ends 14 days after the goods come into your physical possession. If the seller never gave you the cancellation information, the period is extended by up to 12 months.

Can I stop a company from making my curved rail straight away?

Savaria's terms say it may start preparing your order as soon as you place it unless you specifically ask it not to. Asking in writing for manufacture to wait until your cooling-off period has passed can reduce what is deducted if you change your mind.