A Guide to Living in 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.

4.60

Average Location Score

Excellent

66%

Very Good

28%

Average

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Best places to live in Southwark

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

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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 16^th 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.

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.

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 17^th-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.

Featured developments in Southwark

Reviews in Southwark

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A review: the Peckham story

Review Date Dec 2020

All great – but then again, we’re in London.

Please review your development:

One thing that baffles me… why don’t the duplex apartments have doorbells? 🤦🏻‍♂️ You can’t hear a thing when upstairs and someone knocks on the door.

Additionally, it would be really sensible to provide wire/pipe maps of the walls in the future

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

Nothing to mind

If there is one thing you would change about your flat or property what would it be:

Install a doorbell and more shelf hardy walls. Maybe also more sunlight if designed better?

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No good reason not to live here

Verified Resident

Review Date Nov 2020

It is centrally located, 10 mins for two different tube and overground lines with multiple bus routes outside the door. Lots of local amenities and a rich diverse social dynamic.

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The development is modern, my apartment is spacious and well laid out and the common areas are secure and robust. Overall the design is well thought through. I have found property management to be timely and effective but then I haven’t had many issues! The property could benefit from more communal outdoor spaces.

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

That the noise of the trains were really not worth worrying about!

If there is one thing you would change about your flat or property what would it be:

I would have a west facing balcony on a higher floor.

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We like our Manor

Verified Resident

Review Date Nov 2020

Overall I love the area, there are several parks nearby and it is exciting to be so close to the centre of London. There is a lot of development going on around which I think is positive as the area is changing and there’s new places to explore. We like the food places down Sayer Street and are looking forward to the new Elephant park opening later this year. Transport links are excellent, buses galore and both Kennington and E&C tube stations very close by.

Please review your development:

We love our flat but there have been some issues with the development. Many of the residents have found leaks for example where pipes were not installed correctly and our flat experienced a leak around 6 months after moving in. Almost a year after the leak and we are still waiting on repairs to our flooring, partly owing to the Covid pandemic causing delays. Overall other minor things have been fixed quickly enough. I would say I don’t fully trust these big property developers and I do think the builders cut corners when building the flats and made some silly mistakes which have caused problems for many people here. Mixed overall but we are happy in our flat after one year here.

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

That the flat stays so warm which is overall good but with the air system it tends to get very dry (air). I wish we got more light as all of my plants have been suffering. I would like the area around us to feel a little safer but you can’t do a lot about that. We can hear the trains outside the window but I don’t tend to notice them normally except when the windows are open in the summer it can be a bit noisy!

If there is one thing you would change about your flat or property what would it be:

I would like to feel more confident in the build and installation of everything in the flat, There have been too many leaks for example in our block of flats which doesn’t feel great.

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Manor Place Depot Review

Verified Resident

Review Date Nov 2020

The area is really accessible in terms of transport links. It’s also not to difficult to cycle into London.

There is a good mix of food from all around the world due to how diverse the demographic is.

In terms of shops, the property is really close to Morrison, Tesco Express and Co Op so a good mix.

Please review your development:

One negative to get out the way is that there are a number of build defects that a lot of us have found out once home owners have settled in.

I personally had issue with the dishwasher (came with the house) not connected to the water supply properly which is a minor issue. Some other had issue with their heating, ventilation, sewage as well as their shower cover glass shattering.

Management wise it’s okay and our direct contact is relatively responsive.

Facilities wise there is a refuse room and bike shed directly outside the apartment. However, the door to it is constantly broken and it’s still not fixed after having been living here for a year. We also had a wave of bike crime as someone managed to gain access to the bike shed.