Two lift maintenance quotes can show a similar annual figure and mean completely different things when the lift breaks down. One leaves you paying for the call out, the engineer’s time and every part. The other includes all of it in the fee. The difference is the level of cover, and it is the single most important thing to understand before you sign.
Across the UK lift industry, cover is sold at three levels: basic, semi comprehensive and comprehensive. The names are reasonably consistent between providers. What sits underneath them is not, which is why this guide walks through what each level normally includes, what it normally leaves out, and how to decide which one your lift actually needs.
The Three Standard Cover Levels
Every lift maintenance and servicing contract starts from the same foundation: a schedule of planned maintenance visits. The engineer attends on an agreed frequency, inspects the lift, cleans and lubricates, makes adjustments and reports on condition. That element is common to all three levels and is what keeps a lift reliable in the first place.
Where the levels diverge is in what happens outside those planned visits. When the lift stops between services, who pays for the engineer to attend, for their labour on site and for whatever needs replacing?
What Basic Cover Includes
A basic contract, sometimes called a standard or service only contract, covers the planned maintenance visits and very little else. You can normally expect:
Everything reactive is extra. A breakdown call out is invoiced, usually at a higher rate out of hours. The engineer’s time on site to diagnose and repair is invoiced. Parts are invoiced at cost plus a margin. On a lift that runs without incident, basic cover is the cheapest option by some distance. On a lift that breaks down four times a year, it is frequently the most expensive.
What Semi Comprehensive Adds
Semi comprehensive cover keeps the planned maintenance and adds a defined slice of the reactive work into the annual fee. The most common arrangement includes:
What it excludes is the expensive end of the parts list. Motors, gearboxes, controllers, drives, door operators, ropes and hydraulic rams are the components most often named as excluded. Out of hours call outs are sometimes included and sometimes not.
Because the definition of a minor part varies so much between providers, the schedule of inclusions and exclusions on a semi comprehensive contract is the document to read most carefully.
What Comprehensive Covers
A comprehensive contract, occasionally called fully comprehensive or all inclusive, is designed to give budget certainty. For a fixed annual fee it typically includes:
The fee is higher, because the provider is carrying the risk of component failure rather than you. On an older lift with a history of faults, that risk transfer is exactly what you are paying for. On a lift that has been reliable for years, you may be paying a premium for cover you never use.
Neither position is wrong. It depends on the lift.
Side By Side Comparison
| What is covered | Basic | Semi | Comp. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planned maintenance visits | Included | Included | Included |
| Visit reports and condition notes | Included | Included | Included |
| Call out, working hours | Charged | Usually included | Included |
| Call out, out of hours | Charged | Varies | Usually included |
| Engineer labour on repairs | Charged | Included | Included |
| Minor parts | Charged | Within limits | Included |
| Major components | Charged | Charged | Included |
| Contracted response times | Rarely | Sometimes | Usually |
| LOLER thorough examination | Separate | Separate | Separate |
| Typical annual fee | Lowest | Middle | Highest |
One row in that table deserves a second look. No level of maintenance cover includes the statutory thorough examination. That is an independent assessment required under LOLER and is arranged separately, usually through an inspection body or your insurer. If you are not sure whether your lift is being examined as well as serviced, our guide to LOLER regulations and thorough examinations explains the difference and who is responsible.
Common Exclusions To Watch For
Even comprehensive contracts are not unconditional, and the exclusions are where disputes arise. The items most often excluded at every level are:
Misuse And Vandalism
Damage caused by overloading, forcing doors, trolley impacts or deliberate interference is almost never covered.
Water Ingress And Power Supply Faults
Pit flooding, leaks above the shaft and problems originating in the building’s electrical supply are typically treated as building issues rather than lift faults.
Obsolescence
Where a part can no longer be sourced, most contracts limit the provider’s obligation and move the conversation to lift modernisation.
Cosmetic Items And Pre Existing Faults
Cabin finishes, flooring and mirrors are often excluded or capped. Many providers also survey the lift before signing and exclude faults that already exist from comprehensive cover for a period.
Third Party Damage
Where damage is recoverable from an insurer or another party, the contract will usually point you there first.
None of these is unreasonable. The problem is only when they come as a surprise. Ask for the exclusions in writing and read them against the lift you actually have.
Which Level Suits Which Lift
There is no universally correct answer, but there are patterns that hold true across most buildings.
Basic Cover Tends To Suit
Newer lifts still under manufacturer warranty, lightly used lifts in small buildings, and owners who are comfortable budgeting for repairs as they arise and have the cash flow to absorb an unexpected invoice.
Semi Comprehensive Tends To Suit
Lifts in the middle of their life, roughly five to fifteen years old, in buildings with moderate usage where the owner wants call outs and labour covered but is prepared to carry the risk on major components that are unlikely to fail yet.
Comprehensive Cover Tends To Suit
Older lifts with a fault history, busy lifts in offices, hotels, care homes and apartment blocks where downtime is costly, and any organisation that needs a fixed annual figure for budgeting or service charge purposes. It is also the right choice where a lift is due to be modernised in a few years and the owner wants to cap spending until then.
Age, usage and the cost of downtime are the three variables that matter most. We covered what actually drives the annual figure in our guide to how much a lift maintenance contract costs, and the wider business case in our article on the return on investment of lift maintenance contracts.
Making The Decision
Before choosing a level, pull together three pieces of information: the age and type of the lift, the repair and call out invoices from the last two years, and an honest view of what a day without the lift costs your building.
A quick test: if your reactive spend over two years is approaching the difference between basic and comprehensive fees, comprehensive cover is already paying for itself. If the lift has barely troubled anyone, basic or semi comprehensive is probably right.
Then ask each provider for the schedule of inclusions and exclusions, the visit frequency, the response times and the notice period, and compare those rather than the headline figures. A quotation that is a few hundred pounds cheaper and excludes out of hours call outs is not cheaper on a lift that serves a hotel.
Talk To Our Engineers
We survey the lift first and recommend a cover level based on its condition and your building rather than quoting a standard package. Call 01942 242413 or request a quote through our lift servicing and maintenance page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does semi comprehensive usually cover?
Typically the scheduled servicing, call out attendance during working hours, engineer labour and minor parts, while excluding major components such as motors, controllers, drives, door operators and ropes. The definition of a minor part varies between providers, so check the schedule.
Are consumables included in a basic contract?
Usually only the lubricants, cleaning materials and minor adjustment items used during a routine service visit. Anything that needs replacing, from a door roller to a contactor, is normally charged separately under basic cover.
Does comprehensive cover include vandalism or misuse?
Almost never. Damage caused by misuse, vandalism, overloading, water ingress or faults in the building’s power supply is generally excluded from every cover level and is treated as a repair outside the contract or an insurance matter.
Can I change cover level part way through a contract?
Most providers will allow an upgrade to a higher level at any point, often following a short survey. Moving down a level usually has to wait for the renewal date. If a lift is becoming less reliable, upgrading before the next major fault is often worthwhile.
Does a comprehensive contract include the LOLER thorough examination?
No. Thorough examinations are a separate statutory requirement carried out by an independent competent person and are not part of any maintenance cover level. Your lift company can coordinate them but they are arranged and invoiced separately.