With Stannah, the choice involves both the rail for your stairs and the seat you will use. Siena, Starla, Sadler and JOYA offer different seating and operating features, while an outdoor installation needs equipment intended for that setting.
Start with the tasks you find difficult: sitting down, turning towards the landing, reaching a control or folding the footrest. Those details help you decide which features to discuss at the survey and what to look for on the quote.
We may receive a payment from a partner following a successful recommendation. This does not increase the price you pay.
The main choices
- Match the rail to the staircase, then compare seats and controls that can be supplied with it.
- Check which powered features are included in the particular offer.
- Sadler uses higher saddle-style seating; it is not a stand-on product.
- Compare new and reconditioned equipment with their own warranty and service terms.
- Keep the model, rail, options, installed price and aftercare together on the written quote.
About Stannah
Stannah dates its business to Joseph Stannah's work in London in 1867, originally making cranes and hoists. Its current range includes stairlifts, homelifts and other lifting equipment.
That history gives you background about the business. Your purchase still comes down to the equipment and support on offer for your home. Identify the company that will survey, sell, install and maintain the lift, particularly if you are buying through a distributor.
The product information below was checked against Stannah's UK pages on 30 October 2026. Confirm the current specification and available combinations with the supplier.
Start with the stairs
A continuous straight flight may take a straight rail. Where the route turns or crosses an intermediate landing, Stannah describes rails made for the individual staircase. The survey establishes the proposed route and where the chair will stop and park.
Ask to see how the lift would fit at both ends. A doorway, radiator or narrow landing can affect the rail ending and the space available to get on and off. Folded dimensions alone do not show the room needed by the occupied chair.
Stannah's outdoor product page describes a straight outdoor stairlift with a manual swivel seat and protective cover. Use the outdoor specification and instructions for an external installation. Our outdoor guide explains the access and site questions to raise.
Siena, Starla, Sadler and JOYA
Siena
Siena is offered for straight stairs and stairs with turns. Stannah lists two seat widths, manual or powered swivel choices, and lever or button-operated footrest folding. Try the seat and the proposed controls, and check the choices included in your particular offer.
Starla
Starla offers different rail arrangements and a selection of upholstery and trim finishes. Its UK page describes swivel and footrest-fold options, as well as paddle or rudder-style controls. Comfort, reach and the effort needed to operate them matter alongside the finish you prefer.
Sadler
Sadler has an elevated saddle-style seat. Stannah describes it as an option for people who find a conventional seated position difficult. The Sadler user manual states that it is not designed for stand-on use.
The intended user needs to try and be assessed for that seating arrangement. Our standing and perch seating guide explains the terminology and the questions to discuss.
JOYA
Stannah describes automatic folding and swivelling on JOYA, along with light and sound feedback. Have the supplier demonstrate the sequence of movements and explain the rail proposed for your stairs. Check which actions you would still need to carry out yourself.
Which options would help you?
A powered feature is worth considering when it makes a task manageable. For example, discuss a powered swivel if turning a manual seat is difficult, or a linked or powered footrest if reaching down is a problem. Ask to try the recommended arrangement.
Confirm the user limit for the exact model, seat and rail. Stannah's published limits differ between products and between straight and curved versions. A figure from a different model's brochure should not be used to judge your proposed lift.
Work through the belt, travel control, swivel, folding parts and calling controls during a demonstration. Check how you would charge and park the chair, and what the instructions say about a power cut. Battery operation depends on the charge and condition of the batteries.
If there is uncertainty about transfers, posture or the support needed, explain it before ordering. The NHS home adaptations guide explains how to request a council assessment alongside the supplier's equipment survey.
Prices and what your quote includes
The staircase, rail route, seat and selected options affect the price. Get a written total for the equipment recommended for your home, with installation and any preparatory work clearly identified.
Our Stannah price guide sets out the published examples and their conditions. Use it for the detailed cost comparison; a starting offer for one configuration does not price every Stannah model.
Stannah also offers reconditioned stairlifts. Ask which components are reused, how the rail is provided for your stairs and what cover is included. Compare those details with the new-equipment proposal.
The quotation checklist helps you record the model, rail, powered options, installation, VAT treatment and aftercare in one place. If a payment plan is offered, obtain its terms and total amount payable before agreeing.
From the survey to handover
Stannah advertises a free home assessment and written quotation. Confirm the visit arrangements with the supplying company. You can use our survey guide to prepare the details about the user, stairs and landings.
Ask when the proposed equipment can be supplied and when fitting can take place. The preparation of a rail and the installation appointment are separate stages. Keep any agreed timescale with your quote.
At handover, the installer should demonstrate the lift to the intended user and explain the operating and charging instructions. Make sure you have the correct manual, warranty information and contact details for assistance. Leave time to go over anything the user finds difficult.
Warranty, servicing and repairs
Stannah's UK warranty page describes a typical two-year product warranty with two annual services for new stairlifts. Its reconditioned stairlifts have a one-year product warranty and one service. The published offer is subject to terms; confirm what applies to the product and seller on your quotation.
Read the parts, labour, call-out and battery provisions and any servicing requirements. Find out who handles faults in your postcode and what support costs after the included cover ends.
Stannah advertises 24-hour UK emergency support on that warranty page. Check the arrangements for your installation and distinguish access to a support line from an engineer's arrival time.
Follow the care instructions for the supplied model. Servicing and a warranty do not promise uninterrupted operation, so keep the fault-reporting details somewhere you can reach them.
When another type of lift needs consideration
A seated stairlift carries the person in its own chair. If the person needs to remain in a wheelchair, or cannot make the necessary transfers, discuss an assessment of other equipment. Stannah also offers homelifts and platform lifts, but the required space, building work and user needs have to be assessed separately.
Choosing between them involves the whole journey through the home and the support the person needs at either end. A rail fitting on the stairs does not settle those questions.
Frequently asked questions
How much do Stannah stairlifts cost?
Get a quote for the surveyed rail, model and options. The Stannah prices article explains published examples and what is included. Compare the installed total and support terms for the equipment you would receive.
Are Stannah stairlifts a good choice?
Compare the proposed model with other equipment that can meet the same needs. Try the relevant seating and controls where possible, read the specification and check installation and aftercare. Our Acorn and Stannah comparison gives you specific differences to investigate.
Can I choose a powered swivel or folding footrest?
These features are offered on selected models and configurations. Confirm compatibility, what is standard in the offer and the cost of any extras. Ask for the agreed options to appear on the written quote.
What should I do next?
Write down the tasks the user needs help with and arrange a stairlift survey. Check which companies and products can be offered for your address, then compare the written proposals.