Your elevator vendor has heard every one of these statements. They are not lying to you. But they are not correcting you either. The information asymmetry between vendors who review 50+ contracts per year and property managers who see 1-2 in their entire career creates an environment where myths persist and cost buildings real money. Here are the 12 most expensive misconceptions we see.
1. OEM Maintenance Is Always Safer
The technician servicing your Otis elevator today might be working for an independent company tomorrow. Certification requirements are identical regardless of employer. A CET (Certified Elevator Technician) credential means the same thing whether the mechanic's shirt says Otis, KONE, or a regional independent. OEM brand recognition does not equal better-trained technicians. Compare your options.
2. Full Maintenance Covers Everything
Read the exclusions list. Even "full maintenance" contracts carve out cab interiors, vandalism damage, acts of God, obsolete parts, and "consequential damages." We routinely see buildings shocked by $12,000 controller board bills on contracts they thought covered everything. The word "full" is marketing, not legal protection. Understand what FM actually includes.
3. You Cannot Switch Elevator Companies
Modernization voids most maintenance contracts automatically. The equipment changed; the contract tied to that equipment terminates. Even without modernization, 30-day notice clauses are negotiable, and early termination penalties are typically 50% of remaining contract value. If you are planning a mod, the switch becomes free. See how to transition vendors.
4. Newer Elevators Need Less Maintenance
Software-driven systems have more failure modes, not fewer. Machine-room-less (MRL) units pack all components into the hoistway, making access harder and repairs longer. Many standard maintenance contracts explicitly exclude MRL-specific components. Newer does not mean simpler. It often means more expensive callbacks when software glitches or drive faults occur.
5. The Lowest Bid Wins
A $2,000/year examination contract and a $6,000/year full maintenance contract are not comparable. The $2,000 bid excludes controller boards ($8,000-$12,000), door operators ($20,000-$23,000), and most major components. When you compare bids, compare scope line by line. The cheapest bid often costs more over five years than the most expensive one would have.
6. Inspections Happen Automatically
Jurisdictions vary wildly. Some buildings go years without a state inspection because nobody scheduled it. The owner or property manager is responsible for coordinating inspections in most states. Your maintenance vendor will not do it for you unless specifically contracted to do so. Check your last inspection date today.
7. Emergency Phones Are Always Working
Landlines get canceled when buildings switch to VoIP. Cellular monitoring lapses when payment fails. Monthly testing gets skipped when nobody tracks it. The liability exposure when an emergency phone fails during an entrapment is significant. Test yours monthly and document every test.
8. Five-Year Contracts Save Money
Escalation clauses compound at 3-5% annually in most contracts. A $5,000/year contract becomes $6,200/year by year five. That is 24% more than year one. Always calculate total contract value across all years, not just year one. Short-term contracts give you negotiating leverage; long-term contracts give the vendor certainty at your expense.
9. Paying More Gets Faster Callbacks
Contract tier does not create more mechanics. If your vendor has two technicians covering 40 buildings and all 40 have callbacks the same morning, your SLA guarantee means nothing. Response time depends on mechanic availability, route density, and staffing levels. A premium contract with an understaffed vendor is worse than a standard contract with an adequately staffed one. See callback benchmarks.
10. Modernization Can Wait Another Year
Obsolete parts force emergency-only sourcing at 2-3x standard pricing. Controller failure at 15-20 years is when, not if. Every year you wait past the equipment's expected lifespan, you are gambling on availability and pricing of components that manufacturers have stopped supporting. The "wait another year" strategy works until it does not, and then it costs double.
11. The Elevator Company Tells Us When We Need Work
Maintenance vendors have zero financial incentive to recommend modernization. When you modernize, they lose the maintenance contract. Recommendations come from independent consultants, from owners asking directly, or from emergency failures forcing the conversation. Do not wait for your vendor to tell you it is time.
12. Our Board Understands Elevator Contracts
The average property manager or board member reviews 1-2 elevator contracts in their career. Vendor representatives review 50+ per year. This information asymmetry is not accidental; it is the business model. Boards that think they understand contracts are usually operating on myths 1-11 above.
Which Myths Are in Your Contract?
Upload your current maintenance agreement to our Contract Scanner and see which of these myths are embedded in your paperwork. The scan takes 30 seconds and highlights exclusions, escalation clauses, and termination terms you may have missed.
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