How Often Should You Service Your Building’s Lift?

Lifts are essential to modern buildings, providing safe and efficient vertical transport for residents, employees, and goods alike. Whether it’s a residential lift in a London apartment block or a commercial lift in a bustling office building, regular maintenance is crucial. Without it, lifts can develop faults, become unsafe, or fail to comply with legal standards.

But how often should you service your building’s lift, and what should you consider? This blog provides insights into the lift maintenance schedule, highlights its importance, and offers tips to extend your lift’s lifespan.

We are a reliable and experienced lift services company serving the south-east. Feel free to get in touch with us for lift installation, maintenance and servicing, and modernisation needs in London. Call 0208 544 4888 today.

The Significance Of Regular Lift Maintenance

Regular lift maintenance is vital for several reasons:

1. Safety

Regular maintenance ensures all safety mechanisms function correctly and minimises the risk of accidents. Faulty components like brakes or doors can pose serious hazards, especially in high-traffic buildings.

By addressing wear and tear promptly, regular servicing safeguards lift users, offering peace of mind to residents, employees, and visitors who rely on the lift daily.

2. Compliance

In the UK, regulations such as LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) require lifts to undergo routine inspections and maintenance. Failure to comply can lead to hefty fines or legal action.

Regular servicing helps ensure your lift meets these requirements, providing the necessary documentation to prove compliance during audits and inspections.

3. Equipment Longevity

Routine lift servicing reduces the strain on critical components by addressing minor issues before they escalate. This proactive approach extends the lift’s operational lifespan and delays the need for costly replacements.

A well-maintained lift also operates more efficiently, which then reduces energy consumption and overall operational costs for building owners.

4. Operational Efficiency

A properly maintained lift ensures smooth and reliable operation, reducing downtime caused by unexpected malfunctions. This is particularly critical in commercial settings where lift breakdowns can disrupt business activities.

5. Cost Savings

Addressing small issues during routine maintenance is far less expensive than dealing with major repairs or replacements. Over time, consistent servicing saves building owners money by preventing costly disruptions and ensuring efficient performance.

How Often Should A Lift Be Serviced?

Maintaining your lift according to a regular servicing schedule is crucial to ensuring its safety, efficiency, and longevity. The frequency of servicing largely depends on the type of lift, how often it is used, and whether it serves a residential or commercial building.

Let’s explore the recommended servicing schedules for both residential lifts and commercial lifts.

1. Residential Lift Servicing

For residential lifts, the general recommendation is to service the lift at least twice a year. These lifts are typically subject to less frequent use compared to commercial lifts, but that doesn’t mean maintenance should be neglected.

Biannual servicing ensures that minor issues are detected early before they turn into major problems.

Servicing residential lifts involves checking components like the motor, cables, safety systems, and door sensors. Servicing also ensures that the lift remains compliant with local regulations and remains a safe mode of transportation for residents.

That said, certain factors could influence how often a lift should be serviced. For example, if a lift is older or sees higher-than-normal usage (for example, in a large block of flats with frequent visitor traffic), it may need more frequent inspections. It’s always best to consult with a lift expert to tailor the maintenance schedule to the specific needs of your lift.

2. Commercial Lift Maintenance

Commercial lifts typically require more frequent servicing, as they experience higher traffic and usage. The recommended servicing interval is usually every 3–6 months, though this can vary based on the lift’s usage and the environment it operates in.

For instance, in high-traffic office buildings, hotels, or shopping centres, lifts may need more frequent inspections to ensure they remain in optimal working condition.

With the increased demand on commercial lifts, it’s crucial that all components – including the control panel, doors, brakes, and emergency systems – are regularly checked and maintained. This ensures not only the safety of the passengers but also the smooth functioning of the lift, reducing the likelihood of costly downtime or accidents.

Additionally, commercial lifts are required to comply with specific safety regulations. Adhering to these requirements helps keep the lift in top condition and ensures your business stays compliant with UK laws.

3. Customising Your Service Schedule

While the general guidelines above offer a good starting point, the actual servicing schedule for your lift should be tailored to its specific usage and environment. A lift technician can assess factors like foot traffic, the age of the lift, and the type of lift (passenger, goods, or service lift) to recommend the best maintenance schedule.

Need expert help? Email enquiries@arrivallifts.com to consult our experts!

Tips To Maximise The Lifespan Of A Lift

• Schedule and stick to regular maintenance to prevent wear and tear from worsening.
• Ensure that lift doors, tracks, and interior components are cleaned to avoid dirt buildup.
• Educate residents or employees about proper lift usage, such as avoiding overloading or forcing doors open.
• Regularly inspect lifts for visible damage or unusual noises and report issues promptly.
• Always use a trusted lift company for repairs, ensuring high-quality parts and workmanship.

Also read: How to Extend the Lifespan of Your Lift

Let Arrival Lifts Ensure Efficient Lift Servicing And Maintenance

At Arrival Lifts, we offer expert lift services across London, Surrey, Kent, and the south-east. Whether you manage a residential building or a commercial site, our team provides a full suite of services tailored to your needs.

Take a quick look to understand why you should choose us:

• Maintenance: Our engineers deliver regular servicing and preventative maintenance to ensure your lift operates reliably.
• Repairs: If your lift develops a fault, we perform expert repairs to restore its functionality.
• Modernisation: We can update older lifts to meet modern standards, both aesthetically and mechanically.
• Installation and removal: Need a new lift? We handle installations and responsibly remove old systems.

Our highly responsive service is available 24/7, year-round, ensuring you always have access to reliable lift solutions. From detailed reports to tailored recommendations, we work closely with building managers, caretakers, and block management companies to ensure your lifts are safe and efficient.

Contact us today to service your building’s lift.