Hi all!

This is my first post here but I was really hoping for some advice. The post regards my experience managing my first car on my own, and all had been going well until now! For context, I have had my Skoda Citigo 2017 for 4 years. I purchased it outright at 5 years old from D. M. Keith Leeds, before relocating to the west midlands where it has since been managed by Johnsons Skoda Burntwood. I have generally maintained a low threshold for escalating concerns as I am the only driver in my household currently to notice any issues.

When taking my car in for its service and MOT (at Skoda Burntwood) on the 17th August 2026, I informed the dealership that I had noticed corrosion around the fuel cap over the summer. Quick google revealed its a common issue and should be covered by the warranty. Great! Weeks pass since I informed them and no word, I keep touching base with the dealership. Finally, on 8th September 2026 the dealership calls me to tell me the warranty claim (12 year body protection warranty (anti-perforation warranty)) has been rejected on the basis of "Skoda should have been informed 4 to 5 years ago". I push back, initially without full understanding of the specifics of the relevant warranty, but with the rational of my ownership of the car has only just gone on 4 years, and I didn't drive my car much following purchase due to my father falling ill and unfortunately passing a few months later. I was flying back and forth between Belfast and Birmingham a lot. So my car largely remained in the garage and used for short trips. And as mentioned, I was pretty vigilant about the cars condition so I absolutely would have brought it to the dealerships attention sooner if there had been something to notice. I ask for the contact details to escalate and was provided with the contact details for Skoda UK customer services.

Over a month later, 6th October 2026, the advisor informs me of an second reason for the rejection now - that service history was incomplete. Yet over the course of my ownership, the service history is complete and all with Johnsons Skoda Burntwood. They quote an extended scope service missing from 2021. Also note, the 4 to 5 years reason has since not been mentioned. With awareness of the conditions of the warranty now, I continue to push back as it is not relevant per their warranty preconditions. It is now 26th October 2026 and I'm no closer to getting this resolved. I've requested transcripts of the call from the 8th September and the 6th October as evidence of the rejection reasons and when I have been informed.

I'm just at a loss at this point. I know others have had the same issue and similar rejection reasons as me, yet they have been successful in getting it resolved (such as https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/528055-successful-warranty-claim/). Can someone please help me?

Sorry you're dealing with this. Neither reason you've been given sounds right to me from the published terms, so it's worth pushing back in writing.

**What the terms actually ask for.** In Skoda UK's warranty terms, the body protection (anti-perforation) warranty has two conditions: you report it to an authorised Skoda repairer as soon as you find it and within the warranty period, and the repairer confirms the perforation has come from the inside (the cavities) and is a manufacturing or material defect. It excludes damage from outside influences and from insufficient care. It also transfers to the next owner. I couldn't see anything that says a later owner loses cover because a previous owner didn't report it, or anything that makes a full dealer service history a condition of the body warranty.

So you reported it as soon as you noticed it (17 August, at a Skoda dealer), well inside 12 years. That looks like you've done what the terms ask.

1. Ask the dealer to put the rejection in writing, quoting the exact clause they're relying on. "Should have been told 4 to 5 years ago" and "incomplete service history" are two different reasons, and neither is obviously in the terms.

2. Ask what inspection they did. The key question is whether the rust is coming through from the inside (cavity, perforation) or is surface rust from outside, for example a stone chip by the filler cap. That decides whether the body warranty applies at all. Ask for photos.

3. Escalate to Skoda UK Customer Services directly, not just the dealer, with your dates and photos.

4. If that fails, Skoda UK signs up to The Motor Ombudsman's New Car Code, and you can take a warranty dispute to them free of charge.

There's a Guardian consumer column from 2022 where Skoda initially refused a Fabia corrosion claim over a paint inspection condition that wasn't in the terms, then ended up paying for the repair in full, so it's worth persisting.

One more thing: if you go the Consumer Rights Act route instead, after the first 6 months it's on you to show the fault was there from new, so an independent bodywork report would be useful either way.