Support that starts with your installation.

Passenger lifts keep offices, residential blocks, hotels and other buildings accessible. When one becomes unreliable, the effect reaches beyond the lift itself: visitors may struggle to reach a floor, deliveries change and people can lose independent access.

Forge starts with the equipment, its history and the people who rely on it. Passenger lifts commonly use a traction drive, which moves the car using ropes or belts over a driven sheave, or a hydraulic system, which raises the car using pressurised oil and a cylinder. Each needs an appropriate maintenance and fault-finding approach.

The brand on the car is only part of the picture. Controllers, door equipment and drives may have changed over the lift’s life. The make, model, site details and previous reports help us assess support for the actual installation.

Investigate the symptoms and the cause.

A lift that will not run does not necessarily need a new controller. The engineer needs to establish which part of the operating sequence is preventing movement, then check the relevant components and signals.

  • Doors: closing problems can involve the operator, guides, detection system or locks that confirm the doors are secure.
  • Levelling: stopping above or below the landing needs investigation of the positioning and motion systems; repeated uneven stopping should be reported promptly.
  • Ride quality: vibration, unusual noise or a change in acceleration provides useful evidence about when the problem occurs.
  • Emergency communication: the alarm needs a working connection and appropriate backup power, as well as functioning equipment in the car.

Tell us which floor is affected, whether the problem is intermittent and what users noticed. If someone is trapped, use the lift’s alarm to seek help and call 020 7097 8588; do not try to force the doors or climb out.

Plan maintenance around the building.

Planned maintenance should reflect the equipment, manufacturer’s recommendations, condition and pattern of use. A busy shared entrance and a lightly used office lift may need different arrangements. Access restrictions and periods when the lift must be available also matter.

Reports should record what was found, work completed and any follow-up needed. Keeping these alongside breakdown and examination records makes recurring issues easier to recognise and helps you plan expenditure.

Maintenance and a thorough examination serve different purposes. HSE explains how responsibilities depend on the lift’s use. Forge does not carry out LOLER examinations in-house; we can help arrange an independent provider or put you in touch directly.

Choose a repair or an improvement with clear reasons.

An older lift does not automatically need replacing. A targeted repair may be appropriate when the rest of the installation remains serviceable. Recurring faults, unavailable parts or changing access needs may justify a wider condition assessment and a planned modernisation.

Forge can assess control boards and drives for in-house electronic repair on a case-by-case basis. Suitability depends on the fault, component condition and what can be verified; repair is not possible for every unit.

Send the details below with your enquiry. We can discuss the investigation, likely access requirements and next steps before proposing work.

Start with your installation

What to send us.

  • Site postcode, lift make or identification number and number of stops.
  • Fault symptoms, affected floors and any displayed fault message.
  • Recent service or examination reports and previous repair history.
  • Site contact, access arrangements and who is affected by the outage.

Existing reports and photographs from safe, accessible areas are useful. You do not need to open equipment or enter a lift shaft to make an enquiry.

Send an enquiry

Before you call

Common questions.

Can you help without an existing maintenance contract?

Yes. One-off repair enquiries are welcome. Share the installation and fault details so we can assess the work and arrange the next step; a maintenance contract is not a requirement for asking us to investigate.

Can you support an older passenger lift?

We support legacy equipment as well as modern systems. The condition, technical information and availability of suitable parts determine what can be done. We will discuss repair and improvement options for your lift rather than assume its age alone requires replacement.

Does servicing include a LOLER examination?

No. Servicing and thorough examination are separate arrangements. Forge handles maintenance and repairs, and can help you arrange an independent examination provider or make an introduction.

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