Published 16 June 2026
You do not have to own your home to have a stairlift fitted. Tenants in council, housing association and privately rented homes can all get one, but the process and who pays depend on the type of tenancy. This guide explains the rules in plain terms, including the permission you need and what happens if you move.
You will usually need the landlord’s permission
Because a stairlift is fixed to the staircase, almost every tenancy requires the landlord’s written consent before it is installed. The important point in your favour is that a landlord cannot unreasonably refuse an adaptation that a disabled person genuinely needs. Councils and housing associations deal with these requests routinely, and a private landlord who refuses without good reason may be acting unlawfully under equality law. In practice the council will normally contact your landlord as part of the process, so you are not left to negotiate it alone.
Council tenants
If you rent from the council, you usually do not apply for a grant in the standard way. The council owns the property, so once an occupational therapist assesses the need and approves a stairlift, the council generally arranges and pays for the work directly as part of its duty to adapt its own homes. The starting point is to contact adult social care for an assessment.
Housing association tenants
Housing association tenants follow a similar route, but the funding can come either from the association or through a Disabled Facilities Grant from the council. Either way, an occupational therapist assessment is the key that unlocks it, and the association cannot block a council-funded adaptation as easily as a private landlord might. Ask your association and your council’s social care team how they handle stairlifts, as the exact split varies by area.
Private tenants
If you rent privately, you can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant in the same way a homeowner would, provided the disabled person lives in the property as their main home and you intend to stay for a reasonable period. You will need your landlord’s written permission for the works, which the council will normally request as part of the application. Our guide to the Disabled Facilities Grant covers eligibility and how to apply.
If you pay privately
Not everyone wants to wait for an assessment, and some tenants choose to pay for a lift themselves. If you do, you still need the landlord’s consent, and you should agree in writing what happens at the end of the tenancy, as covered below. Paying privately, you almost certainly qualify to buy free of VAT if you are disabled or chronically sick, and a reconditioned lift can keep the cost down.
What happens when you move
A straight stairlift is straightforward to remove and the staircase is left as it was, so this is rarely a sticking point. Agree in advance, ideally in writing, whether the lift will be removed when you leave or left in place for the landlord or next tenant. Where the council or housing association funded and owns the lift, they will decide whether to reuse it elsewhere. If you paid for it yourself, it is yours to take, sell or leave.
At a glance
- Permission: almost always needed in writing, but a landlord cannot unreasonably refuse a genuine disability need.
- Council tenants: the council usually arranges and pays directly after an OT assessment.
- Housing association tenants: funded by the association or a Disabled Facilities Grant; start with an OT assessment.
- Private tenants: can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant with the landlord’s consent.
- Moving out: agree in writing whether the lift is removed or stays. Straight lifts remove cleanly.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a stairlift in a rented house?
Yes. Council, housing association and private tenants can all have one. You will normally need the landlord’s written permission, and they cannot unreasonably refuse an adaptation a disabled person genuinely needs.
Who pays for a stairlift in a council home?
The council usually does. As the property owner, it generally arranges and funds the adaptation directly once an occupational therapist has assessed and approved the need.
Can a private landlord refuse a stairlift?
They can withhold consent only for good reason. Refusing an adaptation that a disabled person genuinely needs, without a sound basis, may breach equality law. The council will usually approach the landlord on your behalf.
What happens to the stairlift when I move out?
It depends on who paid. A council or association may reuse a lift it funded. If you paid privately, it is yours to remove, sell or leave. Agree the arrangement in writing at the outset. Straight lifts come off cleanly with no damage.
Can tenants get a Disabled Facilities Grant?
Yes. Private and housing association tenants can apply if a disabled person lives in the home as their main residence. Council tenants are usually funded directly by the council instead. See our Disabled Facilities Grant guide.
Published 16 June 2026