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Our patch · SE1 and SE17 · updated October 2026

Letting a flat in Elephant & Castle while you live abroad

We are a letting agent in Elephant & Castle, based in SE17, letting and managing flats for owners in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and elsewhere.

This page covers the area, the buildings, the local rules and how we work.

Book a call →The local rules

01 · The area

Elephant & Castle at a glance

Elephant & Castle sits in Southwark, with parts of the area in Lambeth (Wikipedia).

Its postcodes are SE1 (Elephant & Castle, Borough), SE17 (Walworth, Newington) and SE11 (Kennington) (Wikipedia).

London South Bank University says Waterloo is about ten minutes’ walk from its campus here, and London Bridge about fifteen.

Tube

01 / Zones 1 and 2

Northern and Bakerloo lines

The Northern line Bank branch and the southern end of the Bakerloo.

Rail

02 / Elephant & Castle station

Thameslink and Southeastern

Including to London Blackfriars, St Albans, Sutton and Sevenoaks.

Study

03 / Universities

LSBU and LCC

London South Bank University and London College of Communication (UAL).

Borough

04 / Council

Southwark

Which sets the licensing rules for most of the area.

02 · The regeneration

What has changed, and what is coming

Much of Elephant & Castle has been rebuilt over the last fifteen years.

The old shopping centre has gone, and its replacement, the new town centre run by Get Living, is being built in three phases (Elephant & Castle Town Centre).

To the east, Elephant Park is in its final phase.

  1. 2017 · In force

    Elephant Central opens

    Phase 1 of the town centre: 374 rental homes and 278 student studios.

  2. Sept 2020 · In force

    Shopping centre closes

    Demolition begins in January 2021.

  3. 2025 · In force

    New tube station box

    Built by the developer for step-free access and over 30% more capacity; the fit-out was reported as unfunded.

  4. 2026 · Happening now

    Town centre phase 2

    485 homes, 172 of them affordable.

  5. Sept 2027 · Coming

    New LCC building

    UAL’s new London College of Communication building opens for more than 5,000 students.

  6. Later · Coming

    Town centre phase 3

    498 homes, including 116 for social rent.

Sources: Get Living, Southwark Council, IanVisits (June 2025), UAL, Elephant & Castle Town Centre.

03 · The buildings

The towers that define the skyline

These are the main residential towers around the Elephant.

We have detailed guides to Strata SE1, One the Elephant and Elephant Park.

Highpoint is mostly build-to-rent, operated as UNCLE; Two Fifty One is at 251 Southwark Bridge Road.

Highpoint (2018, 458 flats)46 storeys
Strata SE1 (2010, 408 flats)43 storeys
Two Fifty One (2017, 335 flats)41 storeys
One the Elephant (2016, 284 homes)37 storeys

Sources: Wikipedia (Highpoint, Strata SE1, One The Elephant); Buildington (Two Fifty One).

04 · Safety

Is Elephant & Castle safe?

Overseas owners and their tenants often ask this.

The honest answer is to look at the data for the exact street rather than the area’s reputation.

Police.uk publishes street-level crime maps for every neighbourhood (police.uk).

  1. 01police.ukOpen the crime map
  2. 02PostcodeEnter the flat’s postcode
  3. 03By monthSee reported crime by type
  4. 04CompareAgainst streets you know

How to check a street for yourself, using the official data.

05 · Southwark rules

Licensing street by street

Most of SE17 (Newington, Faraday and North Walworth wards) is covered by Southwark’s selective licensing (Southwark Council).

Some SE1 wards, including St George’s and Borough & Bankside, are not in a selective licensing area.

Licensing depends on the exact address, so check it before you let.

Selective licensing

Designations 1 and 2, including Newington and Faraday, run to 1 March 2027.

Designations 3 and 4, including North Walworth, run to 31 October 2028.

06 · Since 1 May 2026

The Renters’ Rights Act, for owners abroad

The Renters’ Rights Act changed how every new and existing tenancy in England works from 1 May 2026 (GOV.UK).

Rent can rise once a year by a section 13 notice with at least two months’ notice.

You must advertise an asking rent and cannot accept offers above it.

Tenants can ask to keep a pet, and you cannot unreasonably refuse.

Negotiator's notes

Fixed-term tenancy, ended with a section 21 notice; rent paid six months upfront.

A tenancy in Elephant & Castle

▍

The change for tenancies in England from 1 May 2026.

07 · Compliance

Safety and paperwork

These apply to every flat you let in England (GOV.UK).

The government has confirmed a target of EPC C for rented homes by 1 October 2030, not yet in law (GOV.UK).

Ticked0/7

Tick what is in place for your flat today.

08 · How we work

How we let and manage your flat

We let and manage flats in SE1 and SE17 for owners abroad, in English, with Cantonese or Malay on request.

Renting rather than letting? If you are moving to London to study or work, tell us what you need and when you arrive.

Book a call →
01

Step 1

Rental valuation

An honest figure, based on what similar flats nearby have let for.

02

Step 2

Compliance and licence

Gas, electrical, EPC, alarms and any Southwark licence.

03

Step 3

Marketing

With a published asking rent, as the law now requires.

04

Step 4

Tenant checks

Referencing and Right to Rent.

05

Ongoing

Management and tax

Repairs, updates and the Non-Resident Landlord scheme.

FAQ · letting agent Elephant and Castle

Questions, answered

What owners, buyers and parents abroad ask us first.

Yes. We are based in SE17 and let and manage flats in SE1 and SE17, including for owners who live abroad.

We let and manage in SE1 and SE17. Elsewhere in London, we introduce you to a partner agent we trust.

Yes. We work with owners who live abroad and rarely visit, by message, call and video.

Most of SE17 is covered by Southwark’s selective licensing, and some SE1 wards are not. Send us the address and we will check.

Not for tenancies agreed since 1 May 2026. You can ask for at most one month’s rent before the tenancy starts, and only the current month’s rent after that.

Check the street-level crime map for the exact postcode on police.uk rather than relying on the area’s reputation.

Sources · every fact on this page

Where the facts come from

General information, not tax or legal advice. Rules change, so check the official source or a qualified adviser before you act.

[1]Elephant and CastleWikipedia
[2]SE postcode areaWikipedia
[3]Elephant & Castle tube stationWikipedia
[4]Elephant & Castle railway stationWikipedia
[5]Maps and travelLondon South Bank University
[6]About usElephant & Castle Town Centre
[7]Elephant CentralGet Living
[8]Elephant & Castle tube station transformation advances as part of town centre redevelopmentSouthwark Council · 2025
[9]Elephant and Castle tube station’s new entrance box ready to be handed over to TfLIanVisits · 17 Jun 2025
[10]UAL logo installed on new building for London College of CommunicationUniversity of the Arts London
[11]Highpoint (building)Wikipedia
[12]Two Fifty One, 251 Southwark Bridge RoadBuildington
[13]Strata SE1Wikipedia
[14]One The ElephantWikipedia
[15]Crime maps and data for your areaPolice.uk
[16]Private rented property licensingSouthwark Council · updated 10 Mar 2026
[17]Selective licensing designation declaration (June 2023)Southwark Council
[18]Guide to the Renters’ Rights ActGOV.UK
[19]Private renting: your landlord’s safety responsibilitiesGOV.UK · updated 25 Sep 2026
[20]Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes: 2025 update (response)GOV.UK · response 21 Jan 2026
[21]Tenancy deposit protectionGOV.UK
[22]Landlord’s guide to right to rent checksHome Office · 1 Oct 2026
[23]Get ready to register: the Private Rented Sector DatabaseGOV.UK · 10 Sep 2026

Cantonese or Malay on request

Own a flat in SE1 or SE17? We are local. Talk to us.

A short call in English, or in Cantonese or Malay if you ask when you book. Tell us what you own or want to buy, and where you live, and we will tell you plainly what we would do.

01Pick a slot that suits your time zone

02Tell us about the flat or the plan

03We let and manage it, advise you, or introduce a partner we trust

Pick a day that suits

Book twenty minutes →

Opens our calendar to confirm a live slot.