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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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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Great Place to Live

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date Jul 2024

The neighborhood is very well located with easy connections to Central and South London. There are also great restaurants and stores within walking distance. The only negative about the location is the position on a busy road.

Please review your development:

The development is great with a nice gym and park right next door. All of the staff is very friendly and helpful; they respond quickly to any questions. I really like having a 24 hour gym located in the building. The appliances are also good quality. The induction hob is especially great.

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

There is nothing else that I wish I knew before moving in

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

The maintenance team responds to requests very quickly

5
Facilities
4
Design
5
Location
5
Value
5
Management
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great flat, awful management

Verified Resident
Verified Resident
Review Date May 2024

The area is amazing, really close to the station and surrounded by loads of shops, restaurants, bars and gyms plus much much more. The street however is very noisy, especially on a weekend. The street is always covered in rubbish and plenty of glass.

Please review your development:

property management is terrible, very common to not get a response from the teams and have to follow up weeks later (still sometimes to not get a response), this is shocking considering that rent drastically went up over the past year. design of the flat is great, ours is really spacious and lots of natural light.

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

where the bike room is, where the meters are, where the bin room is – figured this out with other tenants

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

badly, generally takes a while to get a response and repairs take a while to get done. Keys for the building got stolen, then many people’s bags got stolen because of this, I emailed the management team for some answers and never got any response. feel like tennant issues aren’t taken seriously

2
Facilities
2
Design
5
Location
3
Value
1
Management
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