Flats to rent in Catford & SE6 and Houses to rent in Catford & SE6

Catford remains one of the most cost-effective areas to get yourself a good-sized property in London - certainly compared to other nearby areas.

Humour and a sense of community fill Catford. It's a multicultural area with a huge variety of people living and working in the vicinity. And whilst for many years it has been seen as downmarket, now it's seen simply as unpretentious and with a kind of shabby chic to its streets and shops. Long the headquarters of the Lewisham Council offices, a lot of the centre of Catford is dominated by larger office blocks.

Catford's housing is largely homogenous, being mostly composed of Victorian terraces. For decades the slightly rundown character of Catford left these areas a little un-regarded, but the location's easy access to the rest of south London, as well as heavy prices in other areas, meant that the plentiful Victorian housing is now much in demand, and though prices are no longer a complete steal, they are distinctly better than in many nearby neighbourhoods.

The Victorian terraces are by no means the whole story however. The Corbett Estate and nearby Culverley Green are filled with much larger Edwardian houses perfect for the bigger family, although many have been turned into flats. Other larger properties include the Edwardian and Victorian properties to be found in the region of Manor House Gardens. As more and more of these properties are occupied by the aspirational couple and family, so standards of decoration and maintenance have gone up considerably. The quieter streets away from the South Circular are now very much in demand both for houses and conversions.

Getting into London from Catford is easy, with good transport into town although roads can be a little crowded (the South Circular runs through the area). There are plenty of local stores and well-priced dining in this friendly neighbourhood - although for high end cuisine and plusher stores, Sydenham is a better bet. The area is within the catchment of a large number of good schools, and has some good green spaces nearby in the shape of Mountsfield and Forster Memorial Parks.

Catford is a great solution for the budget-conscious family or first time buyers.

Catford is in the Borough of Lewisham which holds the responsibility for delivering services in your area.
For specific information on this borough, or to contact individual departments please click here to visit their website.

Borough of Lewisham website: Borough of Lewisham

In General:
The London boroughs are administrative centres responsible for collecting local taxes (Council Tax and Business Rates) and then spending the funds received on local services. They are run by Borough Councils who are elected by borough residents on a four year cycle. The totals that they spend will depend on the rates of tax that they levy plus funds allocated from central government and other sources.

While many of the services (schools, roads, planning, rubbish collection and social services) are standard, levels of provision will vary according to the overall political will as expressed by the voters.

Your tax liability (as a resident) will be based on the council tax band of your home. These bands are set by Valuation Officers and there is scope for appeal. The rate bands are then used to determine the amounts of tax levied. So, while the bands will remain largely constant the levels of tax can go up and, in theory, down.

You may claim discounts or exemptions based on your circumstances. For example, as the only adult in a property you can get a 25% reduction on your bill. Other reductions are available for qualifying second adults and Council Tax Benefit claimants.

There is more information available at the HM Customs & Excise website.

Borough of Lewisham Council Tax