By The Address desk · Last verified 12 October 2026
In an HDB common corridor, SCDF’s fire safety guidelines allow a shoe rack used only for shoes, a foldable or movable clothing rack that can be cleared in an emergency, and potted plants only if your Town Council permits them. Whatever you place, a clear escape path of at least 1.2m must remain, measured from the parapet wall to your rack. Staircases and their landings must be kept completely clear, and nothing may go in riser or hose reel compartments. Town Councils set the detailed by-laws for their estates, and residents who breach them can be fined up to $5,000. If your corridor is narrower than 1.2m, objects should not be placed there at all.
A tidy corridor with a neat shoe rack and a few happy plants is part of kampong life in an HDB block. The rules simply make sure that, on the worst night, everyone can still get out and firefighters can still get in.
Quick facts
- Keep a 1.2m clear escape passage along the common corridor.
- Shoe racks are fine if used solely for shoes.
- Clothing racks must be foldable or movable and easy to remove in an emergency.
- Potted plants need your Town Council’s (or MCST’s) permission.
- No objects at all on staircases or their immediate landings.
- Breaching Town Council by-laws can mean a fine of up to $5,000.
What can I keep outside my flat?
| Item | Allowed? | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Shoe rack | Yes | Shoes only, and a 1.2m clear path kept from the parapet wall |
| Clothing or drying rack | Yes, with conditions | Must be foldable or movable and easily cleared in an emergency |
| Potted plants | Only if permitted | Town Council or MCST approval, and the 1.2m path kept along the whole corridor |
| Cartons, old furniture, stored goods | No | SCDF does not permit combustible materials to be stored along common corridors |
| Anything on staircases or landings | No | Strictly no placement or storage |
| Items in riser or hose reel compartments | No | These must stay empty and accessible to firefighters |
Your Town Council’s by-laws can be stricter than this, so check its website or notices at your lift lobby. In a condominium, the MCST’s by-laws apply instead.
Why 1.2m, and how to measure it
The corridor is an escape route. In a fire, neighbours must pass quickly, often in smoke and darkness, and firefighters need room for hoses and equipment. The minimum clear width was raised from 1m to 1.2m after the Fire Code was revised in 2013, according to Tampines Town Council.
- Stand at the parapet wall (the low wall on the open side of the corridor).
- Measure straight across to the front edge of your shoe or clothing rack.
- If it is less than 1.2m, move the rack closer to your wall or swap it for a slimmer one.
- Check the whole stretch outside your unit, including plant pots and the open swing of your gate.
Who enforces the rules, and the penalties
Town Councils can make by-laws that bar residents from obstructing common areas, and the Ministry of National Development says residents who breach them can be fined up to $5,000. Town Councils and MCSTs are expected to carry out routine checks and act on complaints; HDB inspects selected blocks and passes its findings to Town Councils. SCDF can issue Fire Hazard Abatement Notices requiring the Town Council or MCST to fix a hazard, and MCSTs can remove obstructions and bill the residents responsible.
When a neighbour’s clutter worries you
- Start with a friendly word. Many people simply do not know the 1.2m rule.
- Report it to your Town Council with the block, floor and a photo, through its hotline, website or the OneService app.
- If it is a fire risk now (stacked cartons, blocked staircases), say so clearly, so it is treated as urgent.
- If it looks like hoarding, mention it; the person may need care and support, not just a notice.
The WahLiao Verdict
Keep it to one slim shoe rack, a fold-away drying rack and, if your Town Council allows, a few pots on trays. Measure your 1.2m once with a tape and you never have to worry again. The staircase is never storage, not even for a day. Your corridor will still look homely, and on the night it matters, nobody trips over your recycling.
Questions people ask
Can I keep my bicycle in the corridor?
SCDF’s guidelines name shoe racks, clothing racks and permitted plants only. Anything else depends on your Town Council’s by-laws and must never cut the 1.2m path, so ask the Town Council before parking one there.
My corridor is narrower than 1.2m. Can I keep a shoe rack?
Town Council guidance says objects may not be placed along corridors narrower than 1.2m, so keep shoes indoors.
Are plants allowed?
Only if your Town Council or MCST permits them, and the 1.2m path stays clear along the whole corridor. Empty plant trays of standing water to avoid mosquito breeding.
Who pays if the Town Council removes my items?
For condominiums, MCSTs can remove obstructions and recover the cost from the residents responsible. For HDB estates, the Town Council’s own by-laws set out what it can do, so check them.
Sources: SCDF, fire safety guidelines for residential estates; Ministry of National Development, reply on inspections and enforcement in common areas (2021); Tampines Town Council, fire safety guidelines for HDB estates. The Address explains; it does not advise.
Read next: Neighbour Disputes: Noise, Mediation and the Community Disputes Tribunal · HDB Service and Conservancy Charges: What Your Town Council Bill Covers · Back to The Address
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