House buying. Are we wrong?

[Prisonbreak]

I'm a first time buyer due to sign missives and exchange within 10 days. In Scotland.
When our offer was accepted months ago we asked if we could access the property again and we were refused. We were told we could only go back after we sign the missives. We accepted this but friends and family are saying that's a red flag.
Just yesterday we heard that the garden fence has been damaged and needs fully replaced (£2,500) This is at current owners cost but the work will not come with a guarantee and should it be sub par then it's our expense to resolve. We have asked for access again as the house/ garden will be different. The replacement fence quote is very vague and doesn't mention height, colour etc.
we were again told we can see it after we sign the missives. Are we being naïve or is this normal?

I didn’t doubt you

But your lawyer gave incorrect legal advice 🤷‍♀️

Yes, stuffy parochial system in Scotland that's far more difficult and stressful than the English system. The way the English system is frowned upon here is insular, old fashioned and miserably small-town

Good post. The buyer in Scotland does not have an equal footing...that's absolutely spot on from my experience of trying to buy in Edinburgh

i think if you LOVED the house that much the fence wouldn’t be bothering you !
our house needed loads of work but we loved it and knew we would be here a while! We only viewed it once but we could have viewed again if we wanted , If they had refused I would have told them I’m pulling out .

have you called their bluff ? Said your going to withdraw ?. Or actually do withdraw if you can’t see inside.

your solicitor should be asking their solicitor your requests don’t go direct to their front door I wouldn’t be happy with this as a vendor if someone turned up unannounced it’s still my home at that point x

Fgs OP, listen to your lawyer and not to a bunch of anonymous randoms who have no idea that Scotland is very different.

That’s normal with purchasing in Scotland , once you put your offer in and it’s expected then you won’t be able to see it until missives are signed, then you can usually have two move measure up viewings.

your solicitor could say that the missives will not be signed until they send photos of the new fence.