South East London

South East London stretches from SE1 down to SE20, encompassing the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lewisham and Southwark. Such a huge slice of the capital naturally has lots of different guises and offerings; from out-of-this-world dining scenes to riverside living and everything in between. Read on to discover developments that are rated the best places to live in South East London. In addition, read reviews from residents who own or rent in South East London.

Areas like Lambeth and Elephant & Castle have seen much in the way of regeneration. Ultra-modern residential developments are now peppered along the Thames here, packed with apartments and penthouses that come with a bird’s-eye view of the city. Both districts are now firmly seated in the ‘up-and-coming’ category, with new bars and restaurants opening up practically weekly. For celebrated old-time icons, meanwhile, Lambeth plays host to famous attractions like the National Theatre, the Tate Modern, and the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre; so this is a real cultural big-hitter.

4.42
Average Location Score

Excellent

57%

Very Good

31%

Average

9%

Disappointing

1%

Very Poor

1%

Best places to live in South East London

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

Church with street art on the door

South East London’s gastronomy

SE1’s Borough is one of London’s most reputable foodie hotspots. You’ll find its lifeblood, Borough Market, next to London Bridge on Southwark Street. London’s biggest and best food market. It’s said to have been in operation since the 11th century, and its cornucopia of stalls feature everything from delicate French pastries to net-fresh seafood. Open Monday to Saturday, it attracts locals, tourists as well as top chefs looking for the finest produce.

Nearby Bermondsey also draws some big crowds for its gastronomic scene. Once a largely abandoned area full of run-down warehouses, today it’s a bohemian wonderland, with rainbow-coloured house fronts, quality bars and pubs and the street food extravaganza that is Maltby Street Market. Lots of the old warehouses have been converted into new-build apartments.

South east London park

Historical riverside neighbourhoods

Move east to the likes of Rotherhithe and Surrey Quays and you’ll find 17th-century pubs that tell tales of days gone by; hidden down Victorian streets among swish riverfront apartment buildings. This slither of South East London offers a number of peaceful nature areas and a watersports centre. Perfect for taking a breather away from the fast-paced city day-to-day. Canary Wharf and City workers, in particular, are drawn to the area, and can commute by riverbus for a more scenic route to work.

Greenwich

In nearby Greenwich the historical sites come thick and fast. Greenwich has a fascinating maritime history, and this leafy Thames-front stretch can feel a million miles from the city. It’s a World Heritage Site, home to the Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum and also, the world’s most famous ship – The Cutty Sark. Property in these parts includes range from pricey waterfront apartments to smart Victorian terraces.

Train with highrise buildings in the background -South East London

Edgy South East London

Neighbouring Lewisham offers an edgier lifestyle with a strong community spirit. It’s got a handful of decent markets, bars and brunch spots to rival Shoreditch and an electric after-dark offering. The Deptford neighbourhood (part of which spills into the London Borough of Greenwich) has a burgeoning art scene. As such, property developers are moving in to transform the area’s residential face with cutting-edge new apartments that appeal to the area’s multiplying creatives. Deptford High Street is packed with quirky independent stores and eateries serving Vietnamese fare. There’s also a beautiful Baroque church to explore.

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 South East London . 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 South East London

Write a Review

Great experience

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2024

Great location, I wish the train station had an exit directly towards the property but it is still only a 5 minutes walk.

Please review your development:

My renting experience is great so far. I rented the apartment over seeing a video only and I was a bit concerned at first, but everything was very smooth right from the beginning and very professional. There are some minor maintenance issues, but the team is very helpful and fast in sorting them out. Having had bad experiences on the London rental market before, I am very happy with my choice.

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

I got conflicting information about the hob, one person said electric the other said induction. It is not induction.

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

The building management is simply great, they are always open for questions and ready to help.

Great initiatives with the cake decorating class and Pilates classes. The chocolates for International Women’s Day were very thoughtful.

4
Facilities
4
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
Read all Read less

Was this review helpful?

Report

Report

It’s okay

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Mar 2024

Great area to live in, access to Lewisham, Deptford, Blackheath and Greenwich are all within 10 mins walk of the property. Transport is in abundance.

Please review your development:

The design of the flat is quite nice, the facilities are okay, common area is a bit shabby, pool table isn’t maintained. I’ve been here since 2021 and the building work has never stopped.. which is a drag because on a summer’s day if you want to have the balcony doors open, you’re greeted with the sounds of saws, drills and building work soot.

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

I wish I knew when the building work would be finished, I thought they were nearing completion after ~ 3 years and then they’ve started a new project to replace cladding on all the buildings that have just been built.

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

I have had a broken window for close to two years, and it’s still not been replaced. Building Management is super slow and there’s no way of escalating anything further.

2
Facilities
4
Design
5
Location
3
Value
1
Management
Read all Read less

Was this review helpful?

Report

Report

The design of my flat is very pleasing. The management is appalling.

Review Date Feb 2024

Our development is in an upcoming area, near docks, a short walk from Canada Water and Surrey Quays Jubilee and Overground stations. Great. The issue is L&Q who manage, well “manage”, our development. Absolute cowboys who cannot be trusted.

Please review your development:

Attractive brick buildings, attractive bathrooms, average kitchens, nice shops and delis emerging in the area and in the development. Security improvement would be good – namely, having patrols as some undesirables often try and snatch phones or shop lift openly.

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

I wish I had known how totally unprofessional and basically dangerous L&Q is as an organisation.

What is the best feature of your home:

The design of my flat is very pleasing. The management is appalling.

3
Facilities
3
Design
3
Location
3
Value
1
Management
Read all Read less

Was this review helpful?

Report

Report

Good but a couple of things to keep in mind

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Feb 2024

Pro:
The neighborhood is close to the center. I can easily walk to Covent Garden in under 30 min. The connections are great – underground’s, trains and busses are accessible within 5 min of the location, making it great for people who’re spending time across the city. The yoga studio in the building is also great!

Con:
Traffic noise

Please review your development:

Pro:
Nice, fresh, smells nice, nice gym

Con:
I’ve had issues w my property that I’ve reported to management in dec (it’s now February) and they still havent been addressed. In my case, my bathroom smells so bad bc of drainage issues.

Another con is that they are marketing a room that you can rent for private events. It looks nice but costs 50 pounds per hour (?!) to rent. That is crazy

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

You can’t head any neighbors, which is great considering how big the building is and how many people live there

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

Yes but it takes a very long time for them to fix.

4
Facilities
5
Design
5
Location
5
Value
3
Management
Read all Read less

Was this review helpful?

Report

Report