In reply to your message, the balcony is safe as I grown my veggies on it at the moment my greenhouse is on it and rose bushes but it can be netted up to stop pets , although I am renting at the moment I have put in to purchase the flat hopefully in the next few months completion will be through as its viable for me to live here and my bills are reasonable, save me having to do gardening, just love balcony gardening but your most welcome to come and see around my flat anytime