11+ Worst Places To Live In London (Local Guide)

Depending on your salary in London and your general living requirements, there are specific parts of London that are going to be off-limits.

When we were buying a house in London, we wanted to make sure to do things the right way.

This included assessing our options and figuring out how the London Underground transit system was going to work out for our needs.

During our research, we were able to come up with a list of bad places to live in London. These are areas in London we found to be unruly or unsafe.

Let’s take a look at why these are the worst spots to live in London.

Worst Areas To Live In London

Harlesden

Staying in London means you are going to come across a place such as Harlesden.

This is a part of London that’s known for having a higher crime rate and tends to have greater police presence during the night. When you end up having to pay too much for a property here, you are going t wonder why that’s the case.

This is an area we do not recommend for the average person.

It does not have the redeeming qualities you are looking for when moving to London. This includes natural beauty.

Newham

Newham is an interesting option because it’s not a good enough spot for the average person to live in.

If you spend a few months here, you are going to begin to see the issues that are revolving around the neighborhood and why it is not a good fit for families. There is constant unruly behavior that takes place here and this can become challenging for those who want to live in peace.

Newham also has issues with drugs, which has become a problem for the police too.

The reason people like moving to Newham has to do with its tax advantages. You are going to be paying less in council tax, which might appeal to those who are on a tighter budget. However, you are also going to be dealing with a higher crime rate and living conditions that are not as good as other parts of London.

When you compare it to a neighborhood like Blackheath in London, you will begin to understand where the discrepencies lie.

Woolwich

When we were assessing different areas in London, we came across Woolwich.

Woolwich is one of those areas where gang activity is sky-high. It’s common for criminal activity to take place on the streets and it’s easy to get caught up in a bad situation.

When you are worried about such scenarios, you are not going to like living there. This is why living in Woolwich is a bad idea.

Acton

Acton is an interesting area.

One of the main concerns with Acton has to do with increased density. This means there are too many people mulling around throughout Acton, which makes it busier than you would want an area to be for modern living standards.

This can take a toll on those who want to make sure they are in the right part of London.

Brixton

Brixton is adored by some people but it has changed over the years.

There was a time when Brixton was known for being family-friendly and a good place to live but that is not the case any longer. When we compared this to other areas in London, we realized it was relatively unsafe.

There were gangs spreading throughout the area, which was leading to a higher crime rate.

This is not ideal for those who want to stay safe and/or move in with their family. The violence can start to take a toll on you and it is not good to be around in London.

Lewisham

This is one of the more obvious places to not live in London.

Mos people are going to mention Lewisham.

The reason has to do with the lower living standards and higher crime rate. A lot of criminal activity takes place here and it is not ideal for those who are looking for a safer place to live in London.

Hackney

Hackney has been noted for having a drug problem.

This causes you to often spot people doing drugs along the side of the roads and that does take a toll on you. It is not ideal for those who want to spend time outside and walk around because you are going to come across people doing drugs in Hackney.

This is not a good place to live and needs improvement.

Edmonton

When we take the time to look deeper into Edmonton, it’s clear this is a problem that is not promoting higher living standards in London.

The issue starts with the crime rate. It’s too high.

When the crime rate is this high, you will begin to realize other issues crop up including unemployment and a poor education system. This is a major issue with Edmonton in London.

We also realized it was not as clean as other parts of London. There was too much trash on the sidewalks and this was not a pleasant sight.

Tottenham

When we take the time to assess some of the major areas of London, we are going to have to mention Tottenham.

This is one part of London where the schooling is not good enough. We found the education system to be weak here and not have the quality required for a young family.

Barking

When you are assessing an area in London, you are going to have to assess its economics and also the crime rate.

Barking has a major issue when it comes to a high unemployment rate.

This means a lot of people are not earning enough or are not working. This adds up. This is going to be a real concern for those who want to make sure they are living in a peaceful area where there aren’t such economic woes all around them.

Wembley

The last area on the list is going to be the well-renowned Wembley.

Wembley tends to have a lack of improvements as an area in London and it is also known for having an increasing crime rate. This is not ideal for those who want to stay safe.

Final Thoughts

These are the worst places to live in London.

We recommend taking your time assessing these areas in London and then figuring out where you want to stay.

Whether you are booking a hotel in London or buying a property, it’s essential to do your homework.