Varta LA80 battery failure, alternatives?

[richardk]

Hi all, apologies as I realise there are a ton of leisure battery posts. I have searched but most suggest the Varta la80’s. I bought a pair of these in March 25 and one has failed. Unfortunately I bought from ML performance using a debit card. I think this company has gone into administration so I am unsure how to request warranty (emails to Varta and the distributor have no response). Wondered if anyone had suggestions for alternatives for one of my leisure batteries. Nervous about Varta again, they are expensive and haven’t proven reliable (for me!). As an fyi I regularly trickle charge and they haven’t ever been left flat. Thanks!

 

[Baldrick]

Very sorry to hear that. Having suffered from EHU battery charging issues myself of late, might it perhaps be that you have a blown fuse on the battery in question, preventing it from charging?
I say that as I’ve just been down this particular rabbit hole.
It would be great if there was a flow chart somewhere, suggesting likely issues/scenarios.
Might be worth delving deeper before you buy a replacement. Best of luck

 

[richardk]

Thanks! Yes I took the battery out and have tried to trickle charge, gets up above 12v but drops instantly back to 11ish

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks! Yes I took the battery out and have tried to trickle charge, gets up above 12v but drops instantly back to 11ish

If the retailer you purchased your Varta battery from has ceased trading, you are still protected under UK consumer laws and Varta's manufacturer warranty. Because you cannot contact the original shop, you must route your claim through alternative channels to get a replacement or a refund. [1, 2, 3]

1. Contact Varta Automotive Directly
Since your primary contact is gone, Varta's UK manufacturing wing becomes responsible for fulfilling the structural warranty. [1, 2]

• Submit a formal case through the Varta UK Contact Form.
• State clearly in your message that your original retailer has ceased trading / gone into liquidation.
• Attach a copy of your original purchase receipt, the battery's serial number, and any evidence of the fault. [1]

2. Check for an Authorised Varta Distributor [1]
Varta often handles isolated warranty requests by redirecting customers to a local, approved distributor or service partner. [1, 2]

• Use the online Varta Partner Finder tool to see if there is an approved commercial workshop or wholesaler near you.
• Varta support may authorise one of these nearby partners to test your battery and issue a replacement on their behalf. [1]

3. Claim Through Your Payment Provider (Financial Protections)
If Varta's support response is delayed and the battery failed prematurely, you have legal fallback rights depending on how you paid: [1, 2]

• Credit Card (Over £100): If your battery cost more than £100 and you paid by credit card, you are jointly protected under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Contact your credit card provider to file a claim directly against them for a faulty product from a defunct business. [1, 2, 3]
• Debit Card (Under or Over £100): If you used a debit card, contact your bank immediately to ask about the Chargeback Scheme. Note that chargeback claims typically carry a strict time window of 120 days from when you first noticed the breakdown

 

[richardk]

Thanks I’ll give this a go!