Chapter South Bank is a student residence situated in the Elephant and Castle area of London, specifically at SE1 0NS. The property is positioned within reach of several major academic institutions, including King's College London, the London School ...
Location
On the map.
Neighbourhood
Elephant & Castle
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Elephant & Castle holds more residences than anywhere else we cover. It is a straight run into Holborn and the Strand on the Northern and Bakerloo lines, or about half an hour on foot along the river. The area is mid-rebuild around Elephant Park, so expect hoardings alongside the new restaurants for a few years yet. Rents here sit around the middle of our range rather than the top.
Rooms
Choose your room.
Each tier has its own rate. Every room has the run of the building’s shared spaces.
All your utility bills – water, electric, gas, internet, gym and use of all the social spaces – are included in the price. There are no hidden charges, what you see on your contract is what you pay (besides any damage to the room or fees you incur).
Am I allowed to have guests to stay?
You are welcome to have guests through the daytime, and an overnight guest for a reasonable amount of nights. You'll need to get permission from management for an extended period. They will need to provide a form of ID to check in through your resident portal, and you will be responsible for them throughout their stay. Please note, you will also need written consent from management if your overnight guest is under 18 years of age.
How secure is the accommodation?
They have CCTV in and around each property, an electronic key entry system for the main entrance, common areas, each flat and bedroom. There is also staff on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Will I need to pay council tax?
In the UK, students are exempt from paying council tax – you won’t need to pay this, but if the council do mistakenly bill you, you will need to provide details to prove that you are in full time education.
Do I need a tv licence?
If you bring your own TV, or want to watch or record programmes as they are shown live (including on mobile phones, tablets or computers), you will need to apply and pay for a TV License. This also includes TV's provided by the management.
What if something in my apartment breaks down?
If you’re having any problems with your room, a shared living space, or one of the communal areas, you have two options. You can log the issue via the Resident portal, providing details so their maintenance team can get this sorted for you as soon as possible. Alternatively, you can come down to the front desk and talk to a member of the team so they can log it on your behalf.
Can I have pets?
Unfortunately, you are not allowed to keep any pets in your room or any shared living spaces.
What happens if I don’t get on with my new flat mates?
They want your university experience to be as positive as possible – if you are having any issues with your flat mates, please let them know. They will do their best to help resolve any problems you might be having.
Can I receive post and parcels?
Lockable mailboxes located in the lobby (or speak to the front desk team to locate yours) - your room keycard may also give you access to this (please check with the front desk team to know more). If any larger packages, or anything that requires a signature arrives for you, they’ll hold onto it and let you know via text or email so you can come and collect it. For security reasons, you will need to provide photo ID and give a signature to confirm collection. Post will not be given out to other residents on your behalf without written authorisation
Can I live with my friends?
They are more than happy to accommodate groups as well as individuals. Let them know who you’re planning to live with, and they’ll do their best to accommodate you in the same flat.
Is there an age limit for booking accommodation with the management?
As a minimum age requirement, property residents need to be or have turned 18 during their tenancy with them. This is due to the legally binding tenancy agreement that each resident is required to sign before arrival. They have no upper age limits on their accommodation, so long as the resident is in full time education for the duration of their stay.
What appliances and furniture are included in my room?
All rooms come with a bed, desk and chair. Extras such as kettles, toasters and lamps are not provided.
We really enjoyed our stay and felt very welcome. The staff were friendly and attentive, especially Fikayo, who was incredibly helpful.
We really appreciated being able to leave our luggage at reception both before check-in and after check-out, which allowed us to enjoy London without worrying about our bags.
The location is excellent, with many attractions within walking distance. We had a wonderful stay and would definitely come back! 😊
Disgusting.
When i arrived at 9pm, i was told twice by the overnight security guy that he couldn't find my booking. which was clearly on the screen when i was with him in the office. I had contacted them the night before to tell them I was arriving after 8pm. The room was unfit for anyone to stay there. It was uncomfortably hot with only two small windows to open. The bed is very uncomfortable. The sink leaked water from the pipe coming out of the wall whether the tap was on or off, and dripped across the floor into the drain leaving a constant river. The security guy was very clear that he only checked people in and handled no concierge work. In the morning when I showered, it flooded the entire apartment. I sent photos and explanation to two numbers: the one provided on Booking.com and the overnight security guy, who i know monitors because we had chatted on it the previous night and he was still there in the morning. The employee on the front desk told me I should have used some other number (where would I have known this number from?) and said the maintenance guy only started at 10am anyway (this was around 8:30am). She said the only way they could know the shower didn't drain was if someone used it (!). So they clearly don't clean the bathroom properly either. Knowing I was going to leave a bad review, they have pretended I cancelled my booking, which removes my booking altogether from my booking history on booking.com. Not true. I stayed one night of planned three and left in disgust. They refunded me one night when it should be for the entire booking. I had to book two nights in southbank at the last minute at significant cost. Avoid this place.
I stayed in a Bronze Studio at Chapter South Bank, paying around £640 per week, and after four years of living in different student accommodations across the UK, this was easily my worst experience. For the amount they charge, the standard of both the accommodation and management is extremely disappointing. During my stay, my window was broken and wouldn’t close properly, my lamp stopped working, several cabinets were loose, and at one point we had no water for an entire day. Maintenance and general upkeep simply did not reflect the premium price. Reception was also consistently unhelpful and, at times, quite discourteous. Parcel management was particularly frustrating. Parcels were mishandled, and the MYPUP locker system sometimes meant packages were inaccessible for up to three days. Cleaning was only biweekly and was nowhere near the standard I would expect at this price point.
My biggest concern, however, was security. The card-access doors to the blocks were frequently broken, and reception would buzz people into the building without properly verifying who they were visiting. On two separate occasions, delivery riders were able to make it all the way through the building and directly to my room door. For student accommodation, especially accommodation charging this much, that is completely unacceptable. The atmosphere also changed considerably during the summer when rooms appeared to be let out to short-term guests, which made it feel even less like secure student accommodation.
The location is excellent, but unfortunately that is one of the few positives I can give it. I only remained because I had already paid for my contract, and by the end I genuinely could not wait to leave. At roughly £640 a week, there are far better options in London. I would strongly recommend looking elsewhere.
Location is great. Some broken gym equipment that they haven't fixed for a long time, broken plugs upstairs on the top floor, no dishwashers, not sure why the laundry rooms are 5 washers and 5 dryers instead of 10 washer-dryers... would be so much more efficient. Loads and loads of rats hiding under the flowerbed things. Feels grubby. Had 15 heavy boxes, staff watched us move them out, watched us drag them one by one, didn't offer to help and then were rude to us because we didn't put the blue trolley things back in their original place...
This is truly an amazing place to stay. It's about a 3-5 minute walk to the subway station, and there are many famous attractions nearby. A 2-3 minute walk down the same street takes you to the Tate Modern. In front of the museum is the famous Millennium Bridge, which leads directly to St. Paul's Cathedral on the other side. Along the Thames, you can reach many other famous landmarks. It's incredibly convenient.
Most importantly, the staff here are very friendly and always willing to help with any issues. I've stayed here for 10 nights, and as I'm about to take a short trip to Paris, carrying a large suitcase is quite inconvenient. Fortunately, the staff here solved this problem for me, allowing me to continue my journey smoothly. I'm so grateful to them.
If I have the chance to visit London again, I will definitely choose this place. The room is comfortable, the location is excellent, and the staff are friendly. It's truly wonderful.
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