A guide to living in South East England

South East England is the third-largest of the official regions of England by area, and has the highest population of all the regions. Stretching to the west as far as the Isle of Wight and Hampshire, right across to the tip of Kent and curling around London up to Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, the South East benefits from its close connection with the capital and the national transport network. It also offers residents close proximity to the continent and swift international connections via the Channel Tunnel, Gatwick and Heathrow on its border with Greater London.

Excellent

69.9%

Very Good

22.2%

Average

6.0%

Disappointing

1.0%

Very poor

0.9%

Best places to live in South East England

How is ranking calculated?

Viewing 1-5 out of 383

Rental Only

Momento Staines-Upon-Thames, TW18

By Greystar

5.00

(23 reviews)

Discover Momento Staines-upon-Thames, where riverside living meets unbeatable connections. Choose from stylish studios, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom homes with exclusive resident amenities including a gym, co-working spaces, resident lounge, and pet-friendly features.

1st

Ranked 1st out of 208 in South East England

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Leaf Living at Liberty Place, BN27

By Leaf Living

4.94

(19 reviews)

Discover the perfect blend of town convenience and countryside charm at Liberty Place, conveniently located on the edge of Hailsham town. This new community is a stone throw from a variety of shops, supermarkets and restaurants and has a selection of great schools withing reach. For leisure, the town offers a leisure centre, the Pavilion Cinema, and an array of parks and play areas. The development is well-connected, with easy access to A22 & M23. Polegate Train Station, located just 10 minutes away, offers great train services to London Victoria, London Gatwick and neighbouring coastal towns.

2nd

Ranked 2nd out of 208 in South East England

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Leaf Living at The Gateway, TN40

By Leaf Living

4.91

(26 reviews)

Coastal living in the tranquil seaside town of Bexhill-on-Sea, a gem nestled between Hastings and Eastbourne in East Sussex. This prime location becomes a vibrant hub in the summer, offering beachfront activities and a serene escape along the South Coast.

3rd

Ranked 3rd out of 208 in South East England

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Award Winner 2025

The Almere, MK9

By Native Communities

Award winner 2025

4.89

(176 reviews)

At The Almere, residents benefit from spacious apartments, panoramic views, resident events and coworking spaces. A community nestled in the heart of Milton Keynes, with access to facilities and amenities right on your doorstep. Our 1, 2 and 3 bedroom rental apartments come with on-site customer and maintenance services and a relaxed community lounge for you to enjoy. All pets are welcome at The Almere, whether they are feathered, four-legged, fishy, or feline. For commuters, our luxury apartments are just 12 minutes on foot to Milton Keynes Train Station, with trains direct to the capital and other UK hotspots.

4th

Ranked 4th out of 208 in South East England

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Award Winner 2025

Ebb & Flow, RG1

By Native Communities

Award winner 2025

4.88

(181 reviews)

Ebb & Flow offers a collection of Studio, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments in the heart of Reading. All apartments have spacious kitchens, enhanced floor to ceiling height, and bespoke furniture. As well as this, residents benefit from a 24hr support team, wellness classes and community events. Private social and co-working spaces are also included. A buzzing new neighbourhood right on your doorstep.

5th

Ranked 5th out of 208 in South East England

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Page 1 of 77

Featured developments in South East England

Latest Reviews in South East England

5333 total reviews

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Viewing 1-5 out of 5320

Adam (Tenant)

Verified Resident

The Marches, GU21

Oct 2026

This is rated 5.00 out of 5.00.

A great place to live

Adam (Tenant)

Verified Resident

The Marches, GU21

Oct 2026

I've had a really nice time living at The Marches over the last two years. Rather than it just feeling like a flat to live in, the building as a whole is a really enjoyable experience. It is well designed with modern and practical features, and all of the staff make it feel welcoming. Shout out to Ryan, who is always a breath of fresh air and injects positivity into the day, he does a fantastic job around the building. I have appreciated all of the work I see him doing, including maintaining the gardens, which are a lovely space for residents. Pedro and Nkosi have also been excellent. Whenever I have had friends visit, they think the building is fantastic, which I think speaks volumes. There have even been some that have moved in after visiting! Beth has been brilliant at making sure I, and others, find the most suitable flat and settle in well.

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

Amazing selection of local shops to pop out to. Great transport links by train and bus. Some good entertainment around the town too.

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

There haven't been many major issues that have needed to be raised, but whenever I have, there has always been a timely response. I always appreciate the easy communication.

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

Very good sound insulation above and below, it is very rare to hear neighbours. There are some train noise/ flashes that take some getting used to.

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HomeViews

A Happy MODA Resident (Tenant)

Verified Resident

Hove Central, BN3

Oct 2026

This is rated 4.00 out of 5.00.

Life at MODA

A Happy MODA Resident (Tenant)

Verified Resident

Hove Central, BN3

Oct 2026

I’ve really enjoyed living at MODA. The apartments have a lovely, clean and modern design, and the communal spaces are one of my favourite things about the building. I particularly like the library, and some of the resident-organised events have been a great way to get to know people. There’s a really nice sense of community here. The facilities are generally very well looked after. The gym is always immaculate, and the cleaning team do a fantastic job. There are a few things that could be improved, particularly the BBQ area, which hasn’t always been available when I’ve wanted to use it due to technical issues with some of the BBQs. There have been a few maintenance issues here and there, which I think is fairly understandable in a development of this size. That said, management have always been quick to respond whenever I’ve had a question or needed something looked into. The concierge team are honestly one of the best things about living here. Shannon in particular is brilliant, always friendly, approachable and willing to go above and beyond to help. It’s really nice knowing there’s always someone around who genuinely cares and is happy to help when needed. Overall, there are a few things MODA could improve on, but the facilities, the people and the community make it a really lovely place to live.

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

One of the things I particularly appreciate about living at MODA is how well positioned it is. I split my working week between home and an office around a 15-minute walk away, so the location suits my lifestyle incredibly well. I also travel to London regularly, and having Hove station just a few minutes away makes that considerably easier. There’s a Waitrose and Aldi within walking distance, along with Hove Park, which is lovely to have nearby when you want a change of scenery. It’s a great balance of convenience and a more relaxed pace of life, without feeling disconnected from everything.

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

Yep - always been very responsive. Altho the MODA app has had multiple issues in the time I’ve been here which has made it a bit of a pain to report / communicate issues. But other than than, all good.

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

The lack of security which means we sometimes have unwanted visitors walking into the shared spaces like balconies just to “check out the place”

Manager response

Dear Happy Moda Resident Thank you for taking the time to share such a thoughtful review. We’re delighted to hear that you’re enjoying life at Moda Hove Central and particularly appreciate your kind words about our concierge team, cleaning team and the sense of community within the development. We’ll be sure to share your feedback with Shannon and the wider team. We also appreciate your feedback regarding the BBQ facilities, maintenance and the Moda app. We recognise how important it is for residents to be able to access and report issues easily, and we continue to work on improving the resident experience. We take your comments regarding building security and unwanted visitors seriously, and we understand how important it is for residents to feel safe and secure in their homes and shared spaces. It’s lovely to hear that our location and the surrounding amenities work so well for your lifestyle. Thank you again for your recommendation and for being part of the Moda community!

Posted by

Katja Harjanne, General Manager

Oct 2026

・・

HomeViews

Chris (Tenant)

Verified Resident

Leaf Living Oakhurst at Brookleigh, RH15

Oct 2026

Reviewer was offered an incentive for an honest review, regardless of rating

This is rated 5.00 out of 5.00.

Spacious

Chris (Tenant)

Verified Resident

Leaf Living Oakhurst at Brookleigh, RH15

Oct 2026

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

Living here is nice and quiet, good parking availability and little noise from traffic as your far away enough away from the main roads

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

No issues reported so far but I'm sure if there were any they would be fixed as soon as possible

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

The whole process was quick and efficient, would highly recommend

・・

Reviewer was offered an incentive for an honest review, regardless of rating

HomeViews

Prasanth Rao Namagiri (Tenant)

Verified Resident

Refinery Square by Berkeley Living, SL1

Oct 2026

Reviewer was offered an incentive for an honest review, regardless of rating

This is rated 5.00 out of 5.00.

Great Management and Facilities

Prasanth Rao Namagiri (Tenant)

Verified Resident

Refinery Square by Berkeley Living, SL1

Oct 2026

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

Since it's new building earlier there was no parking but now it's sorted and very walkable distance to station, high street, bus stops and local shops. Things got settled now and everything is streamlined

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

Management is very good and they address the concerns very well. Especially Abdi and Hamila are very responsive for any concerns raised. I feel Management hears the concerns well and address them.

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

Nothing. Abdi has explained everything in very detailed manner during viewing

・・

Reviewer was offered an incentive for an honest review, regardless of rating

HomeViews

Rupesh (Tenant)

Verified Resident

The Marches, GU21

Oct 2026

This is rated 5.00 out of 5.00.

Marches nice place to live in Woking

Rupesh (Tenant)

Verified Resident

The Marches, GU21

Oct 2026

The facilities like common area, kitchen and working spaces at the top of both east and west side of the building give plenty of time socialising with friends and making new connections. The management is usually quick in resolving issues, the supporting staff is great like Ryan who keeps the garden area neat and alive always have big smile to cheer you, night security folks like Bilal have been really helpful when you need support for key accesses etc.

Please tell us about the good and bad aspects of living in your local area:

Very nice location, good communal spaces. Direct trains to london. Word of caution: parking is not provided so have to pay separately for parking to council. Otherwise in all great place to live in.

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

The resolution has been swift and quick, though the west side of the building quite frequently face issues with bin chute. But in all any maintenance request raised has been taken care of quickly and professionally.

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

There use to be many activities and events all around the year but recently things have slowed down and the management could make it better again. Otherwise close proximity to station and everything else you need is very nearby. And weekends bin chute not working is quite common one will get use to it.

・・

HomeViews

Page 1 of 1064

These reviews are the subjective opinion of a HomeViews user and not of HomeViews

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Berkshire

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Buckinghamshire

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Hampshire

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Kent

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Milton Keynes

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Surrey

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