Forget the old cabbie adage “Sorry mate, I don’t go south of the river.” South London has long been rebelling against its outdated reputation as the north’s poorer, less safe cousin.
Along the banks of the Thames and beyond, you’ll find plenty of vibrant neighbourhoods ideal for setting up home. Places with gorgeous green spaces, lively cultural scenes and a wealth of rental property to choose from.
Here we share five great places to rent in south London. There’s something for everyone beyond the South Bank.
Brixton
The buzzy streets of Brixton boast a unique atmosphere thanks to its strong community spirit and cool vibes.
A blend of multi-cultural busyness and subtler gentrification, it’s a great place to live if you don’t like being bored. It’s a lively, noisy area which will assault your senses with its musical sounds and culinary smells. If you’re after a quiet spot in London, avoid Brixton!
A facelift has brought cool bars and restaurants to its streets along with a thriving pop-up scene so there’s always somewhere new to try. But as it’s still a little rough around the edges, it retains its traditional feel which means rental prices are slightly more affordable.
Soak up its energetic atmosphere on Electric Avenue, home to the famous Brixton Market and its bargains. Sample food from every corner of the world in a container village bursting with start-ups or grab your popcorn and settle down to watch a movie at the old-school Ritzy Cinema.
And if you fancy a spot of history, Brixton even has its own 200-year-old windmill to admire.
Forget any preconceptions about Brixton, this is a great place to rent in South London if you like living life large.
Property
There’s something for everyone in Brixton from low-cost estates to beautiful Georgian and Victorian terraces.
Popular with young professionals, it’s also home to families who’ve lived in the area for decades as well as new arrivals who appreciate its green space and proximity to the city.
If the buzz of Brixton ticks your rental boxes, expect to pay the following typical prices:
Studio flat £1300 pcm
1-bed flat £1400 pcm
2-bed flat £1800 pcm
3-bed flat £2100 pcm
Transport
Brixton is the final stop on the Victoria line with direct routes north to Victoria, Oxford Circus and Kings Cross. You can also catch an overground train or any number of buses to get all across the city.
Battersea
Close to the Thames and with beautiful open space, Battersea has become a south London haven for families and those with a craving for riverside living.
Previously overlooked due to its industrial associations and lack of tube station, its fortunes have turned over the last few decades and it’s now a desirable place to set up home. And with the opening of Battersea Power Station tube in 2021, its appeal is only going to grow.
Here you’ll find stunning Victorian architecture, great schools, the sprawling and wildlife-packed Battersea Park and, of course, the iconic Battersea Power Station.
Join its small, friendly community and you’ll also be rubbing shoulder with treasures such as Northcote Road Antiques Market and New Convent Garden Market, the largest fruit, veg and flower wholesaler in the UK. So whether you’re after retro furniture or the freshest five-a-day in London, Battersea can deliver.
Battersea Arts Centre will satisfy your cultural cravings with shows ranging from high-brow drama to stand-up comedy. And of course you can take your pick from a fantastic selection of bars, cafes and restaurants.
And if your landlord allows pets, you could always take a stroll to Battersea Cats and Dogs Home and find a new furry friend to curl up with in your new home.
Property
Battersea’s history means there’s a wide choice of properties here from mansion blocks and Victorian terraces to modern apartments overlooking the river.
Fancy moving into a living piece of history? The imposing Art Deco Battersea Power Station has now been sensitively converted into over 250 apartments within a new riverside development. Over £600m worth of property was sold here in the first few days of release.
Prices in Battersea are rising swiftly, but you can still get a great deal if you're willing to hunt for it and be patient. And as it’s in the London Borough of Wandsworth, you’ll also enjoy one of the cheapest council tax rates in England.
Choose to rent in laidback Battersea and you can expect to pay the following prices:
Studio flat £1300 pcm
1-bed flat £1800 pcm
2-bed flat £2400 pcm
3-bed flat £3400 pcm
Transport
Living in Battersea will become even more appealing in late 2021 when the Northern Line tube extension opens and the new Battersea Power Station stop links with Kennington.
Battersea Park train station has ten services per hour to Victoria and you’ll be just three miles from Charing Cross. And if you fancy a stroll around Chelsea, you just need to cross the river over Battersea Bridge.
Clapham
Between Battersea and Brixton, you’ll find Clapham: one of the most popular places to live in London.
It’s a place of two halves spread across four distinct areas: quieter, family-friendly Clapham Old Town and Clapham South, and the livelier, flat-share territories of Clapham North and Clapham Junction.
Home to city professionals from all over the world and famous for having a large Australian population, it’s also appealing to families seeking a convenient commuter base with great schools and open space.
Clapham offers the best of both worlds: bar-packed streets with tempting shops and restaurants alongside the peace and quiet found in the 220-acre green expanse of Clapham Common.
Property
From grand detached Victoria homes to glitzy new-build apartments, there’s no shortage of variety in Clapham.
Families favour the southern parts with its rows of traditional terraces while those with a lower budget will favour the northerly areas with their wide range of flat-shares, studios and more modest properties.
Choose Clapham and expect to pay these prices:
Studio flat £1100 pcm
1-bed flat £1400 pcm
2-bed flat £1800 pcm
3-bed flat £2400 pcm
Transport
You’ll be spoilt for choice for transport options in Clapham. There are three tube stations on the Northern line: Clapham North, Clapham Common and Clapham South plus two overground stations to send you in any direction you desire.
Trains can get you to Gatwick Airport in half an hour and into central London in just ten minutes.
Deptford
If you want to be close to the Thames but your pockets aren’t deep enough for the most popular riverside locations, Deptford is worth considering.
Quickly becoming South London’s response to Shoreditch and Camden, it offers an alternative, cultural corner without quite such a crazy price tag. It’s where you’ll find students from Goldsmiths University, so it boasts a young bohemian vibe while still remaining true to its docking history roots.
Traditionally in the shadows of its swish neighbour Greenwich, this formerly run-down part of the city is enjoying a renaissance with a lively creative community and increasing levels of investment.
Entrepreneurs have opened hip new restaurants in everything from a former job centre to a traditional red London bus. And at the exciting Laban Theatre you can watch up and coming talent in award-winning operas, concerts and festivals.
Alongside its increasingly cool atmosphere, you’ll find a selection of smaller but still tempting parks, a proper old-school market and a charming community-run cinema with just 39 seats.
Property
Due to its industrial heritage, central Deptford isn’t where you’ll find rows of converted Victorian terraces. While there are some further south towards Brockley, you’re more likely to be moving into a purpose-built apartment block.
Plans to transform Convoy’s Wharf, the first Royal Dockyard built in the city, were approved in June this year. The currently empty riverside plot will be revitalised with 3500 homes and a new 1.5-acre park.
Although still cheaper than Greenwich, it won’t be long before Deptford catches up. Expect to pay these average rental prices:
Studio flat £1100 pcm
1-bed flat £1400 pcm
2-bed flat £1700 pcm
3-bed flat £2500 pcm
Transport
This corner of south London is tube-free but it’s still well-connected for commuting.
Settle here and you’ll have two train stations to choose from. Hop on at Deptford and you’ll be in London Bridge in just 8 minutes while the DLR from Deptford Bridge to Canary Wharf takes just four minutes more.
Croydon
Want to stay south but need more affordable accommodation? Croydon is only nine miles away from Charing Cross and will save you several hundred pounds a month compared to central London.
Much maligned over the years, it’s definitely on the up. This town that almost feels like a city in itself is currently undergoing a £5.25bn regeneration programme. Exciting developments include a £1.5bn retail and leisure complex, seven new hotels and 10,500 new homes.
With a flourishing alternative and arts scene, it’s an increasingly appealing alternative to big city prices with a thriving multi-cultural atmosphere and plenty of green space. Croydon has its own city farm, football club, museum and arts centre, plus more bars and restaurants than you could dream of.
It’s even becoming so hip that some have started referring to it as The Cronx, like its stateside big brother The Bronx.
Property
Much of Croydon’s historic property was bombed during World War II so you’re more likely to find a pad to rent in post-war to present day properties. There’s more choice, including some Victorian homes, to the north and south of the borough.
The main draw is affordability this close to central London. Expect to pay the following:
Studio flat £800 pcm
1-bed flat £1200 pcm
2-bed flat £1450 pcm
3-bed flat £1900 pcm
Transport
There’s no sign of a tube stop this far south but you can catch a fast train and be at Victoria in just 13 minutes.
Stay more local and Tramlink, the first London tram network to be built for 50 years, will carry you across town and further afield to Wimbledon and Beckenham.
Choose Croydon and you’ll be well-connected by train, tram, bus and car to central London and beyond.
Looking for a great place to rent in South London? Check out the latest properties at MakeUrMove.
