Nobody in your family goes out on that ledge

No filter, drip or rattle is worth a fall. Keep to one rule at home: a unit at height is looked at from indoors, and any outdoor unit is worked on only by someone trained and equipped for that spot.

Why did a technician refuse a 23rd-floor unit?

Because of the risk. In April 2026 The Bridge Chronicle reported a Navi Mumbai technician who filmed a unit fitted outside a narrow balcony on the 23rd floor, with almost no room to stand, and declined the job. He asked why anyone should risk his life for a small service fee. A refusal like that should be respected, not argued with. Offering more money is the wrong answer.

What should you ask before the work starts?

Ask how the person will reach the unit and what will hold them if they slip. Guidance for societies says high-rise installations need secure mounting and trained technicians. Ask the society if it has rules for work outside the railing, and ask if the unit can be serviced where it stands or has to be moved first.

What if nobody can safely reach it?

Then the answer may be to move the unit, which is also a gas and wiring job for a technician. That costs money once, and it can solve the access problem. If you're buying or renting, look at this before you sign anything. In a new flat, ask where the builder expects outdoor units to go.

What can you check from inside?

You can look through the window for rust on the bracket, a sagging pipe or plants growing near the unit. Take a photo with your phone from inside the room, without leaning out. Send that to the technician.