Updated September 2026. Common corridors are shared property and fire-escape routes. Check your Town Council's directions for the exact location.
Keep a 1.2 metre clear escape path
SCDF permits a shoe rack used only for shoes and a foldable clothing rack along a common corridor only when at least 1.2 metres of unobstructed escape passage remains. The clothing rack must be easy to fold or remove in an emergency. Read the current SCDF residential fire-safety guidance.
Plants need permission and safe placement
If the Town Council allows potted plants, the same 1.2 metre clear width must remain throughout the corridor. Do not place pots or other objects on corridor parapet ledges, where they can become falling hazards.
These areas must remain clear
- Staircases and their immediate landings
- Dry or wet riser and hose-reel compartments
- Landing valves, breeching inlets and other firefighting provisions
- Any route where a gate, rack or object obstructs escape
Town Councils control and manage HDB common property, including corridors. Ask the relevant Town Council before adding fixtures or storing items, and comply promptly if an obstruction must be removed.