South East London covers plenty of ground and even more variety when it comes to choosing a new home. If you want to know the best places to live in South East London, where should you start looking? Start by asking the people who live there!
Our Top 10 best places to live in south east London
If this part of London appeals to you, then the advice of our HomeViews reviewers can help to get your search started. This list of the 10 best places to live is based entirely on local resident ratings.
These top 10 winners have the best combined scores across all the new build developments in the South East of London that are reviewed on HomeViews. This means that they have consistently impressed the people who live there, regarding everything from the design of the homes to the quality of the facilities and the level of service offered by the management staff.
See what it takes to get the thumbs up from South East London residents. If any catch your eye, just click to take a closer look.
*PLEASE NOTE these rankings take into account how many reviews a scheme has and how recently those reviews have been submitted, so may not match the overall star ratings shown. Buildings with a larger number of more recent reviews are given a greater weighting to reflect current building performance – as on our area guide pages.
Top of the charts in south east London is Union Wharf, a development featuring 249 rental-only apartments on the banks of Deptford Creek near Greenwich’s town centre. Its residents love the facilities here and find the concierge staff to be top-notch helpers in any situation. With great views, solid transport links and competitive prices, Union Wharf is a worthy winner of the top spot.
Taking second place in south east London is Elephant Central by Get Living. It’s right in the heart of London’s Elephant & Castle, a Zone 1 location with great connections to the City, Oxford Circus, King’s Cross and walking distance to London Bridge, Borough and the South Bank. The development itself has a great mix of 1-3 bedroom apartments, duplexes and penthouses, all available fully-furnished, with superfast WiFi included. Residents love the Club Lounge and Kitchen facilities as well as the Sky Courtyard.
Fizzy Lewisham is a contemporary residential development, now managed by Greystar as of December 2021. It has rapidly gained popularity, rising to take 3rd place in South East London. The development offers one and two-bedroom flats to rent. Homes here are pet friendly, and come with free award-winning broadband. It also has a prime location close to Lewisham Station, with good connections to central London.
In 4th, Bale & Anchor is a new BTR development situated in Lewisham, with studio, 1, 2 or 3 bedroom apartments available to rent. Bale & Anchor is ideally placed to put you right in the thick of central London within minutes. Additionally, the National Rail and the DLR are on your doorstep for commuting. Residents can enjoy lounge areas, roof terraces and private dining spaces. By Spring 2024, even more amenities will be available, including access to Ampersand on the 34th and 35th floor in Bale House with panoramic views over London and beyond. Residents also benefit from choosing between a quality furniture package or an unfurnished apartment.
Taking 5th place is Vida House, managed by Way of Life. This is a residential development just a stone’s throw from central London. The development is only a short walk away from Surrey Quays Overground station as well as Canada Water Underground station. Each of the 138 one and two-bedroom apartments on site have an open plan layout. These come with a fully fitted kitchen with integrated dishwasher, washer/dryer and a fridge-freezer. In addition, the apartments have large bathrooms, bright and airy receptions as well as spacious double bedrooms with a walk-in cupboard for additional storage space. Residents also have access to a secure car park and ample underground bike storage area. Similarly, there is a dedicated management team on site with 24 hour CCTV security.
Situated on London’s South Bank, opposite the Royal Festival Hall, The Whitehouse Apartments takes the 6th spot on our list, offering a selection of one, two and three-bedroom apartments. The development is within a four-minute walk to Waterloo station with its vast transport links via both Rail and Underground services and residents on site can enjoy rooftop gardens and a health and fitness suite.
Recently moving up from 10th to 7th is Marine Wharf West – a residential development from The Berkeley Group, located in Surrey Quays. Apartments here are separated by landscaped grounds, and they’re close to the River Thames and London’s largest working marina – South Dock. London City Airport, Surrey Quays station and the Thames Clipper Riverbus services are all nearby.
In 8th place for South East London’s best places to live we have Vive Living on Childers Street. With smart, modern, light and airy apartments on offer, this new development is already causing a lot of positive buzz. One happy resident gushes:
“My flat is really lovely. Both the concierge and the property management are really helpful. They are also so fast to solve the problems. There is a work space on the ground floor and it is great for the people working from home! Luckily we have a cafe at the same place with work space so you can grab your coffee, take your seat and start working comfortably! Also the bakery is worth to try, they are so delicious! I definitely recommend here.”
The Dumont is a mixed-use St James development in Southwark, which overlooks the River Thames. It’s home to a selection of studios and one to four-bedroom apartments. Vauxhall, the nearest station, offers brilliant links to the City via National Rail services and the Victoria line.
Sneaking into the top 10 is The Music Box. Just a 30-second walk from Southwark Station, this is a new, residential development made up of one, two and three-bedroom apartments. The building is also just a stone’s throw from the Tate Modern and the River Thames, as well as The Cut – home to the Old Vic and New Vic theatres.
What makes South East London attractive as a place to live?
In a word: variety. That’s what this part of town has in spades. Quiet riverside living, ultra-modern neighbourhoods, urban regeneration meets understated chic, expansive suburban houses and gardens – it’s all available in this corner of the capital.
Which areas of south east London are best?
Lambeth, Greenwich, Bexley, Bromley, Southwark, Elephant and Castle – you’d be hard-pressed to find a more diverse lineup, even in London. With this variety comes options. Whatever you’re looking for, you’re likely to find it here.
Each area has its own strengths and unique benefits. However, there are some positive factors that broadly apply to all of south east London. Firstly, its transport links are solid: tube, rail, Overground, bus and biking routes are all in play. And when it comes to amenities, you’re spoiled for choice. Local cafes, bars, restaurants and markets are varied and often excellent.
All of this adds to the lively and friendly community feel that extends throughout south east London. It has a great reputation for appealing to families, due to the wide availability of good schools. A respectable crime and safety record, and a thriving arts and music scene also aids its case.
Discover more top-rated new homes in our South East London area guide below. Or you can check out our Top Rated guides section to find the best developments in other areas of the capital.
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 Read more about South East London
HomeViews is the only independent review platform for residential developments in the UK. Prospective buyers and tenants use it to make an informed decision on where to live based on insights from carefully verified resident reviews. Part of Rightmove since February 2024, we’re working with developers, house builders, operators, housing associations and the Government to give residents a voice, recognise high performers and to help improve standards across the industry.
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