Installing a stair lift or platform lift in a condominium

Stair lifts and platform lifts: differences and when to choose them

The term stair lift covers several installations that allow stairs to be overcome. The seated stair lift has a seat that slides along a rail fixed to the wall or the steps and suits those who walk with difficulty but can sit down. The platform stair lift has a platform that carries a person in a wheelchair. There are also mobile tracked stair climbers, which need no fixed installation but an operator.

The choice depends on the person's needs, the width of the stairs and the available space. A seated stair lift takes up little room but does not serve wheelchair users; a platform is bulkier but allows independent use for those in a wheelchair. A technician assesses feasibility based on the slope, the turns and the presence of landings.

• Seated stair lift: for those who walk with difficulty but can sit
• Platform lift: for wheelchair users, larger footprint
• Mobile tracked stair climber: no fixed works, needs an operator

The resolution and the majorities

Installing a fixed platform lift on common parts is an innovation with an accessibility purpose and follows the rules of Article 1120 of the Italian Civil Code: it is resolved with the reduced majority of those present representing at least half the value of the building, referred to by the second paragraph of Article 1136. The agenda must state precisely the work, the design and the cost-sharing criterion.

Compared with an elevator, the platform lift often requires more contained works and this can ease approval. The general limits still apply: the installation must not impair stability, safety and decorum, nor make the stairs unusable in safe conditions for other owners, a delicate aspect when the rail reduces the usable width of the flight.

Safety, stair width and escape routes

A technical point often underestimated is that the rail and platform of the lift, when not in use, must not compromise passage on the stairs and compliance with the minimum widths required for safety and escape routes. That is why the design must show that, with the installation at rest, the flight remains usable and compliant with the fire safety rules applicable to the building.

The installation's safety devices must also be considered, such as belts, obstacle sensors and emergency stop, along with periodic maintenance. A platform lift installed without checking these aspects can create safety and liability issues, besides exposing the owner to challenges from other residents who see the usability of the common stairs reduced.

• Check that with the lift at rest the stairs stay usable and safe
• Respect minimum widths and fire escape routes
• Provide safety devices and periodic maintenance

Cost sharing and use of the installation

If the work is resolved by the condominium, the installation cost is normally shared according to the thousandths (millesimi) of ownership, unless otherwise agreed, while maintenance and running costs follow the criteria applicable to the installation. If instead the meeting does not approve, the person with a disability can install the lift at their own expense under Law 13 of 1989, reserving its use until others ask to use it by contributing to the costs.

It is useful to establish clearly, already in the resolution or in a written agreement, who uses the installation, who maintains it and how future costs are shared. Initial clarity avoids conflicts when the installation goes into operation and requires maintenance or repair.

Keeping order among resolutions, costs and maintenance

Over time a platform lift generates maintenance deadlines, contracts and costs to be shared among the owners concerned. Keeping an orderly record of these elements avoids oversights that can affect safety and relations between owners.

With management software like AmministraPro the manager can archive the resolution and the design, record costs and schedule the installation's maintenance, sharing costs according to the criteria set. The available features can be reviewed on the /funzioni and /prezzi pages.

Frequently asked questions