Lift and elevator maintenance is one of the largest recurring costs in a building, and one of the least understood. Most owners sign the contract their lift company offers. That contract is written to protect the lift company.
The Lift Consultancy works for the owner. We review your current lift maintenance contract, assess how well the equipment is actually being maintained, write a maintenance specification for your building, and run an open tender. The result is a fully comprehensive contract with a clear scope, fair terms and performance measures that carry consequences. If you are weighing up the price, read what drives lift maintenance cost.
We are independent. We take no commission from lift companies, and we do not sell, install or maintain lifts. We work with strata managers, body corporate committees, facilities managers and building owners across Australia and New Zealand, on lifts, escalators and moving walks.
What is a comprehensive lift maintenance contract? It is an agreement where the lift contractor carries out routine servicing and pays for most repairs and replacement parts, in return for a fixed monthly fee. A parts-and-labour or callout-only arrangement is different: the building owner pays separately for repairs. What “comprehensive” actually covers varies from contract to contract. Exclusions for major components, vandalism, obsolescence and after-hours callouts are common, so the wording matters more than the name.
| Comprehensive | Service only (parts & labour extra) | Callout only | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Routine servicing | Included | Included | Not included |
| Repairs and parts | Mostly included (check the exclusions) | Charged separately | Charged separately |
| Budget certainty | High | Low | Lowest |
| Usually suits | Occupied buildings that want predictable costs | Newer equipment with few failures | Rarely suitable for occupied buildings |
Not sure what yours covers? TLC reviews contract wording independently and runs maintenance tenders. Start with our free maintenance contract red flags checker.
A third-party fully comprehensive maintenance contract is a comprehensive agreement that covers all aspects of Vertical Transportation maintenance, repair, breakdowns, and entrapments. A third-party contract is typically developed and managed by a consultant who is independent of the lift manufacturer or service provider, acting on behalf of the building owner, facilities manager, body corporate, or a strata management company. Third-party maintenance agreements are typically tailored to fit the specific needs of the property owner, offering more favourable contractual terms with a definitive scope of services, ensuring reliability and accountability. Most third-party contracts include Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that allow the owner to penalise the service provider financially for poor performance or non-compliance with the contract. Third-party agreements are typically tendered to the open market to obtain competitive pricing against the specified scope and contractual terms. The tender process is typically designed to be transparent and fair with each tenderer bidding against the same scope and contractual terms (apples to apples). Each tender is reviewed and evaluated based on many factors and a recommendation is provided to the client for their consideration. This ensures that the client gets the best value for their money whilst ensuring fairer contractual terms.
A direct maintenance contract is a type of agreement that is created and offered directly by a service provider to a building owner, facilities manager, or other entity responsible for managing a property. Service providers often use various terms to describe their contracts, such as ‘Gold,’ ‘Comprehensive Plus,’ ‘Care Plus,’ and ‘Elite.’ A direct maintenance contract typically includes standard terms and conditions in order to reduce the service provider’s liability or even transfer risk to the building owner.
Unlike third-party contracts, direct maintenance contracts are not typically subject to a tender process, where multiple parties bid against a defined scope. This means that the building owner or facilities manager selects the service provider directly, rather than going through a competitive bidding process. Direct contracts also do not usually include a KPI (key performance indicator) structure, which is a system for measuring the performance of a service provider, and neither do they allow the building owner to penalise the service provider financially for poor performance.
At TLC, we understand the importance of comprehensive preventative maintenance and upkeep for the smooth operation and success of any site, whether it’s a commercial property, a government building, a residential complex, or an industrial facility. That is why it is important for us to fully understand our clients’ requirements and priorities through consultation before devising a site-specific contract.
During our thorough and comprehensive consultation process, we identify any specific requirements and address any concerns you may have. For example, if your equipment is nearing the end of its lifecycle and parts are becoming scarce, or if buttons are temperamental, indication screens are failing, or lift door operators are becoming increasingly unreliable, we take these details into account when developing a customised, comprehensive maintenance contract tailored to your individual needs.
At TLC, we have a deep understanding of the industry and which service providers have a track record of performing well with specific Vertical Transportation systems. This knowledge allows us to provide unbiased recommendations to our clients based on their specific needs and requirements during the tender recommendation stage. Our goal is to help you make informed decisions about which service provider will best meet your needs and ensure the smooth operation of your Vertical Transportation systems.
Our contracts are designed to be fully comprehensive, covering all necessary maintenance, breakdowns, entrapments, and repair work, along with fairer contractual terms. We understand the importance of your Vertical Transportation system, which is why we go above and beyond to ensure that our contractual terms work in your favour. With our professional team and personalised approach, we are confident that we can provide the best possible outcome for your site.
It should cover routine servicing, breakdown callouts, entrapment response and the repair or replacement of worn parts, with limited and clearly listed exclusions. Many contracts marketed as comprehensive exclude expensive items such as ropes, machines or controllers. Read the exclusions before the inclusions.
Look at the service records. Good records show which checks were done and the results, not just that a technician attended. Rising breakdowns, repeat faults and frequent repair quotes are warning signs. An independent maintenance audit gives you an objective answer.
A direct contract is the lift company’s standard agreement, offered without competition. A third-party contract is written independently for your building and tendered to several contractors. It sets the scope, the response times and the key performance indicators, with penalties if they are not met.
Usually, yes, subject to the notice period in your current contract. Check the term, the notice requirements and any automatic renewal clause. Proprietary equipment can limit who can maintain it, so find this out before you tender.
Most contracts run for a fixed term with options to extend. Review performance every year and retender at the end of the term, so the price and terms are tested against the market. Try our maintenance contract red flags tool, or contact us on (07) 5509 0100 to have your contract reviewed.
What clients say
5.0 ★★★★★ from 9 Google reviews
Having recently received advice from our lift company that our lifts could no longer be serviced our committee took the decision to contact The Lift Consultancy , they undertook a full forensic inspection and report which covered all aspects of the process required . their service is excellent , we…
As body corporate committee chairman of CORAL COVE APARTMENTS I found the service provided by Sidney Bastos excellent and the detailed report and separate report to our lift maintenance contractor of matters overlooked by them and needing attention both complete and excellent , Could not recommend t…
Our body corporate recently used the services of TLC to audit our lift service contractor as per the scope of our lift service contract and the insurance works they conducted. TLC provided a level of service at an equal or lesser price to its competitors. TLC: • Pointed out items of work the lift se…
Tony and Sidney, the dynamic duo from The Lift Consultancy, were an absolute pleasure to work with. Their knowledge and expertise in the field of elevator systems were truly remarkable. From the moment they stepped foot into our building, it was evident that we were in the hands of true professional…
I recently had the pleasure of working with The Lift Consultancy, and I am delighted to give them a well-deserved 5-star rating. From the initial consultation, to the project's completion, their level of expertise and professionalism was truly impressive. The team at The Lift Consultancy demonstrate…