What this help covers

This help may concern a simple and accessible small outdoor area: balcony, terrace, outdoor threshold, small plant corner, a few light pots, flower box placed on the floor, watering can, small accessories, light chair, light table, passage to the outside, balcony mat, watering area or place for depositing small plant waste. DomusHelp can help identify a forgotten plant, a light pot that gets in the way, a watering can placed too far away, a cluttered passage, a small accumulation of leaves, a slippery mat, a saucer full of water, a box too close to an edge, an unstable planter, a dry plant, a very heavy plant that must not be moved, a bag of soil blocking the passage, an outdoor object that may cause tripping, or a situation where the person does not know whom to notify about the difficulty. DomusHelp can also help prepare a simple list: space concerned, plants to water, objects not to touch, concrete inconvenience, visible risk, possible light task, possible photo with agreement, necessary authorization, provider to contact and apparent urgency. This help can also serve to distinguish a light request from a more sensitive situation: dangerous balcony, unstable guardrail, cracked slab, blocked water drainage, infiltration, water damage, heavy pot threatening to fall, unstable hanging planter, strong wind, frost, snow, slippery floor, excessive heat, toxic plant, allergy, stings, insect nest, pests, significant mould, conflict with neighbours, water runoff to a neighbour, excessive load on a balcony, blocked access, recent fall, isolated vulnerable person, pressure from a third party, purchase of equipment under pressure, request for work, possible claim or serious doubt about consent, safety or the person’s protection. The aim is to make the small outdoor area more practicable, clearer and more pleasant, without creating a fall risk, without exposing a vulnerable person, without intervening on the structure or installations, without using dangerous products, without trivializing a problem involving a balcony, water, weight, neighbours or safety, and without delaying the intervention of a professional when the building, plants, pests, watering, weight, insurance, tenancy, responsibility or the person’s protection requires it.

Preferred providers

Before the intervention

• Identify precisely the request: plants to water, balcony, terrace, pots, planter, watering can, accessories, outdoor passage, small storage or report to transmit.
• Check who is making the request: person concerned, authorized loved one, family, family caregiver, property management company, owner, caretaker, legal representative, CMS/SMZ, social service or professional already involved.
• Obtain the clear, free, current and understood consent of the person concerned before any observation, photo, moving of an object, watering, transmission of information or contact with a third party.
• Observe only what is visible and accessible, without climbing, leaning out, dismantling, drilling, screwing, lasting fixing, repairing or intervening on technical equipment.
• Check that access is practicable: threshold, step, slippery floor, outdoor mat, object on the floor, weak lighting, weather, wind, rain, snow, frost or heat.
• Move only small pots or accessories that are light, stable, not fragile, clearly authorized and without fall or overload risk.
• Never move alone a heavy container, hanging planter, large plant, heavy outdoor furniture, unstable object or load requiring several people.
• Never lean over a balcony or climb on a chair, table, ledge, unstable step stool or ladder.
• Do not fix, unhook, hang or modify a planter, support, guardrail, awning, fence, slab, drain or building element.
• Do not use pesticides, herbicides, dangerous fertilizers, chemical products, biocides, plant-protection treatments or dangerous tools.
• Check whether some plants may be toxic, irritating, allergenic or dangerous for children, pets or sensitive people.
• Check whether watering water may run to a neighbour, create a slippery area, cause infiltration or disturb a shared area.
• Clarify whether the space is private, rented, in condominium ownership, shared or subject to a building rule, and whether a property management company, owner or authority must be informed.
• Protect confidentiality: avoid intrusive photos, neighbours, apartment numbers, access codes, visible documents, valuables or images of the person without explicit agreement.
• Identify warning signs: unstable guardrail, crack, infiltration, water damage, pot threatening to fall, insect nest, allergy, recent fall, blocked access, conflict or pressure from a third party.
• Stop the intervention and refer to a competent service in case of danger, emergency, lack of consent, work at height, heavy load, dangerous product, pests, technical risk, conflict, claim or serious doubt about the person’s protection.

What DomusHelp does not cover

• Professional gardening, full regular maintenance, pruning trees, hedges, shrubs, tall plants or intervention requiring a gardener, horticulturist, landscaper or arborist.
• Work at height, use of ladder, intervention on ledge, façade, roof, dangerous balcony, hanging planter or area exposed to a fall.
• Moving heavy containers, large plants, outdoor furniture, heavy bags of soil, unstable loads or objects requiring several people or specialized equipment.
• Lasting fixing, drilling, screwing, installation of supports, hanging planters, awnings, fences, trellises, lighting, automatic watering or technical equipment.
• Repair of balcony, guardrail, slab, threshold, drainage, infiltration, water damage, façade, outdoor floor, awning, socket, lighting or water supply.
• Use of pesticides, herbicides, biocides, dangerous fertilizers, chemicals, plant-protection treatments or handling of risky substances.
• Management of pests, wasp or hornet nest, infestation, significant mould, toxic plant to handle, allergic reaction or sanitary situation.
• Removal of bulky green waste, transport to a waste facility, equipment rental, heavy handling or full cleaning of terrace or balcony.
• Legal or administrative decision concerning tenancy, condominium ownership, owner responsibility, neighbours, water runoff, noise, insurance, claim, authorization or dispute.
• Purchase of plants, pots, soil, equipment, products, tools, acceptance of a quote, signing a contract, payment, advance of costs or financial commitment on behalf of the person.
• Management of neighbourhood conflict, harassment, threat, financial abuse, mistreatment, sensitive access or safety situation without a competent service.
• Intrusive photography, sharing of images, publication of information, keeping sensitive data or sharing contact details without explicit and current consent.
• Promise that a plant will survive, that a balcony supports a load, that water damage will be avoided, that a neighbour will accept or that no risk exists.
• Managing an emergency: fall, injury, faintness, object threatening to fall, dangerous balcony, significant infiltration, electrical risk linked to water, dangerous insect nest or immediate danger.
• Replacement of a gardener, horticulturist, landscaper, arborist, qualified craftsperson, property management company, owner, caretaker, municipality, green-waste service, insurance provider, social service, CMS/SMZ, competent authority or emergency service.

Need help with plants, a balcony or a small outdoor area in the district of Saint-Maurice?

DomusHelp can help clarify the request, observe the small outdoor area cautiously, prepare a list of simple needs, preserve confidentiality, respect the person’s consent, distinguish light help from a specialized need, and refer to a small outdoor area help service, a gardener, a horticulturist, a landscaper, a property management company, an owner, a caretaker, a municipality, a green-waste service, an insurance provider, a social service, a CMS or SMZ, a competent authority or an emergency service when the situation goes beyond simple practical help.