Borough of Southwark

Southwark is nestled on the South Bank of the Thames, and among its luxury riverside apartments and ultra-modern offices, are some of London’s biggest icons. This area is rich in culture, architecture and entertainment, charming millions of visitors (and residents) each year. For the best scenery, criss-cross one of the bridges that straddle the river, including London Bridge, Tower Bridge and Millennium Bridge. All are a joy to stroll or drive over, thanks to sweeping views of the water, and the buildings that chart hundreds of years of the capital’s history. Read on to discover developments that are rated the best places to live in Southwark. In addition, read reviews from residents who own or rent in Southwark.

4.51
Average Location Score

Excellent

65%

Very Good

26%

Average

7%

Disappointing

1%

Very Poor

1%

Best places to live in Borough of Southwark

HomeViews Top Rated Development ranking takes into account the Star Rating and HomeViews Transparency Rating of every development in the area

High street in Southwark

Southwark attractions

Of all the landmarks, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern command the most attention, and rightly so. The Globe is a magnificent, Elizabethan-esque structure, a careful rebuild of the site where the famous playwright’s creations were first performed back in the 16th century. Nowadays, you can enjoy guided tours and exhibitions, along with exceptional theatre. As for the Tate, it’s easy to spend hours in this contemporary art institution; discovering the dreamy works of Warhol, Monet and Picasso.

Southwark skyline

The Shard

Head away from the waterside, and The Shard, Europe’s tallest building, dominates the skyline. This 300-plus-metre skyscraper is a mixed bag of offices, hotel suites, and bars and restaurants. In fact, it’s the way of many of the imposing buildings here. Dedicated to both work and play, they’re comprised of company HQs, posh-nosh brasseries and classy rooftop bars.

Foodie hotspot

Southwark has emerged as a real foodie destination over the years. Just over the road from The Shard is Borough Market; London’s oldest food market, and still one of the capital’s best. Its myriad of stalls never fail to treat tastebuds, whether you’re in the mood for a harissa-soaked North African stew, or a Spanish ‘bocadillo’ stuffed with serrano ham and melty cheese. Outside, both old and new establishments pepper the streets, age-old pubs full of curiosities rubbing shoulders with elegant Italian restaurants and cosy tapas nooks. Try lively Bermondsey for a village feel and some of the best independents eateries around.

Southwark park

Transport in Southwark

Southwark’s transport links are impressive. London Bridge Railway Station makes it easy to get to cities like Cambridge and Bedford. And three London Underground stations service the area. Southwark on the Jubilee line, Borough on the Northern, and London Bridge, which has trains running on both. But with London’s best bits on your doorstep, who could blame you for staying put?

HomeViews reviewer says…
“It’s a lovely mix of old and new. The new-build waterfront homes are plentiful, but so are the curious 17th-century pubs.”

You can find out more about living in the area by reading reviews from residents. Click on the developments below to find out more about residents’ experiences and also, to discover the best places to live and rent in Southwark. Moreover, If there’s a property that you can’t see on HomeViews, you can add a new listing and leave your review here.

Reviews in Borough of Southwark

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A cosy place to stay, recommended!

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Sep 2024

‘ There are 2 supermarkets nearby, and Sainsbury’s is downstairs, so shopping is very convenient. The open space on the 3rd floor is clean and tidy, and a disabled toilet is available. The subway station is 2-3 minutes walk away, and the train station is directly in front of the building. There may be the sound of a passing train at times, but it’s tolerable.

Please review your development:

Security is good, especially after the elevator has installed a credit card setting. The improvement is that in addition to opening the door through the access control at home, guests can also be controlled to enter the elevator, which can reduce a lot of trouble.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

The house was thoroughly cleaned to a degree, as I am being made to feel because of this matter

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Responses are sometimes not very timely and need to go to reminders, but overall problem solving is not bad.

5
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
User submitted image of  Elephant Central, SE1
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Unreasonable service charge increases

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Jul 2024

The area is central and well connected through transport. However, the masterplan lacks generous open spaces and Elephant Park is small for the number of flats in the area.

Please review your development:

The shared ownership flats were meant to be affordable. However, the service charge that we are paying is growing exponentially for minimum services (there is no concierge, security or access to communal leisure facilities in the shared ownership flats). The service charge has made the flats unaffordable, and many residents feel this is a trap that is forcing many to sell their flats and leave. The situation is critical, and L&Q should urgently interrogate and reduce the charges.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I wish we had been told the exponential and unreasonable growth of the service charge, which has almost triplicated since we moved in. This is forcing many residents to sell their flats and move out.

What is the best feature of your home:

The location is central and well connected, and the overall design of the building and the flats is good.

1
Facilities
4
Design
4
Location
3
Value
1
Management
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Manager Response

Thank you for your feedback about service charges for your new home. Please contact us at lqdirect@lqgroup.org.uk (with Homeviews in the subject line) and a dedicated agent will do their best to assist.

Very busy but well connected

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Jul 2024

It is very close to Tube stations and has many bus connections, but it is very busy and noisy. There are lots of people going up and down the road outside so it is not very peaceful. There are lots of food options nearby.

Please review your development:

The development is well made and well maintained. The gym is fairly well equipped for a residential gym. The management are friendly and helpful – they are a real highlight of living in the building. There is also a community lounge and games room, but they are almost never used.

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

I wish I’d known how stressful it was to live in the area.

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

They are very prompt to respond to issues and will fix them without complaint.

3
Facilities
4
Design
3
Location
2
Value
5
Management
User submitted image of  Park Central East, SE17
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Needs a lot of TLC to bring it back up to standard

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Jul 2024

Well located to access central London however increasing street noise (student flats opened nearby) and issues with bin collection are getting more frequent

Please review your development:

There has been a lack of preventive care of the building so it’s condition is slowly getting worse. Recent building managers have been much better at responding, but the issues are outside their control.
The design leads means soundproofing between flats is poor and you can hear conversations etc.
Multiple security issues (rough sleepers in hallway and outside stores, thefts of parcels etc)

Please share one thing (or more) which you wish you had known before you moved in:

The poor soundproofing means fairly normal conversations travel through walls/ducts

How has the building management responded to any problems or issues you have raised:

Rough sleepers took over the bike store despite months of warning from residents and police the security was not sufficient. Took months to resolve once a new building manager took over and tried to help.

2
Facilities
2
Design
4
Location
3
Value
2
Management
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