In brief
Ask a clear question, agree the scope and cost, and request a written report that separates findings, uncertainty and recommended action.
A survey or second opinion does not replace a required thorough examination or suspend a safety instruction.
Which kind of review do you need?
Names vary between providers. Ask what the service includes and what written record you will receive.
| Service | Question it can help answer | Ask to receive |
|---|---|---|
| Condition survey | What condition is this lift in, and what work should we plan? | Findings, limitations, priorities and options. Ask for the basis of any remaining-life or budget estimate. |
| Maintenance audit | Does the evidence show that the agreed maintenance is being delivered? | A comparison of the agreed programme, records and observed condition, with gaps and follow-up questions. |
| Second opinion | Is this diagnosis or proposed scope supported by the available evidence? | A written answer to the question, options and any investigation still needed. Confirm whether a site visit is included. |
| Thorough examination | What safety defects are identified by the competent examiner? | The full report of thorough examination, including findings and the next due date. Arrange this separately where required. |
A general survey, audit or quote review is not a substitute for a required thorough examination. A provider may offer more than one service; confirm each scope and report explicitly.
Examination distinction: HSE thorough examination guidance .
When might another view help?
- A major repair or replacement is proposed, but the reason or alternatives remain unclear.
- Breakdowns continue after previous work and the explanation has not resolved your questions.
- You need a condition review to plan investment or take over an unfamiliar building.
- Service records, promised visits and invoices do not appear to agree.
- Two providers give conflicting advice and you need help comparing the evidence.
First ask the existing provider to explain its findings and supply missing records. For a narrow question, a document review may be a useful first stage; the adviser should explain when a site visit is needed. A high price, an old lift or a run of breakdowns does not by itself establish the right technical solution.
Follow restrictions on use and defect deadlines while a review is arranged. A second opinion is not permission to restart a lift or defer required action. If advice conflicts, notify the responsible manager and the relevant competent providers promptly; do not choose the most convenient answer.
Check who will advise you
A consultant advises on the decision or project; a contractor may also offer surveys and technical advice. Ask who will actually carry out the review and what experience they have with your equipment and the question you need answered.
- Relevant experience, qualifications, references and the named reviewer.
- Appropriate professional indemnity insurance and, for site work, relevant liability cover.
- Any connection with the current contractor, proposed suppliers or the work under review.
- Any commission, referral payment or interest in selling or managing the recommended work.
- The fee, VAT, expenses, exclusions and cost of any follow-up.
Assess the evidence and scope rather than relying on a title, an “independent” label or trade association membership. Membership is not a company quality rating. If you need an impartial review, agree how commercial interests will be disclosed and handled.
For a thorough examination, HSE requires task-relevant competence and sufficient independence and impartiality. HSE says the examiner should not be the same person who carries out the routine maintenance.
Source: HSE guidance on competent persons .
Agree the job before booking
Write down the question and the lift references. Confirm whether the price covers a records review, site visit, measurements or testing, and a discussion of the report. Ask what will be excluded, inaccessible or dependent on another provider.
For a site visit, agree access, the expected outage, any maintenance-contractor attendance and who arranges safe working. Leave restricted access, isolation, testing and technical decisions to competent, authorised people. Ask who will report an urgent concern immediately and who will confirm any return-to-service arrangements.
Collect the available maintenance agreement, service and callout records, current examination report, outstanding actions, quotations and technical information. Mark missing documents as missing. Include the building’s access needs and practical constraints without sharing unnecessary personal information.
Safe working and competence: HSE maintenance guidance .
A short brief you can copy
Request a scope and fee
“We manage [building and lift reference]. We need advice on [specific question or decision]. The current issue is [summary], and the existing restrictions or deadlines are [details / to confirm with the responsible provider].
We can provide [reports, contract, service history, fault log and quotes]. The known gaps are [missing information].
Please propose the review needed, who will carry it out, their relevant experience and any commercial relationships. Confirm the fee, VAT, exclusions, site access, contractor attendance and expected timescale.
We need a written report explaining the evidence, findings, limitations, options, priorities and further investigation needed. Please explain how urgent concerns will be communicated and whether a follow-up discussion is included.
This request is for a proposal. It does not authorise work or change existing safety arrangements.”
Replace the brackets before sending. Record acceptance of the agreed scope separately.
Check that the report answers your question
- Evidence: which documents, observations and checks support each finding?
- Limits: what was not inspected or could not be confirmed?
- Priority: which points need immediate action, planned work or further investigation?
- Options: what would each option achieve, retain or leave unresolved?
- Costs and life estimates: what assumptions support them, and are they estimates or firm offers?
- Next step: who needs to act, clarify or approve?
An audit should distinguish missing evidence from a confirmed failure to do work. A brief visit cannot reconstruct every past service. Ask for clarification where a conclusion is stronger than its supporting evidence.
If a recommendation refers to a standard or regulation, ask which requirement applies to this particular installation and why. A technical report does not automatically decide a contract dispute or who must pay.
Turn the findings into actions
Give each action a named owner, date and completion evidence. Separate urgent safety measures, further investigation and future investment. Send relevant findings to the contractor or examiner and resolve disagreements in writing with the appropriate competent people.
A report is advice, not proof that repairs have happened. Obtain the agreed completion records and any further examination or confirmation needed. Keep unresolved items open and agree a follow-up date.
Use the existing repair quote review sheet, fault history log or project options worksheet to carry the decision forward.
Sources & scope
HSE · Thorough examinations and inspections HSE · Maintenance of work equipmentHSE sources checked on 19 October 2026. They support the examination, competence and safe-maintenance distinctions. The survey descriptions, adviser questions and briefing template are editorial purchasing guidance, not a prescribed inspection standard or a recommendation of a provider. Scope: existing passenger lifts in Great Britain; agree equipment-specific requirements.