I used to live in DKH, as a tenant in a privately owned flat with the landlady. She was stuck with the flat and was unable to sell due to nightmare noisy and slightly unhinged (can't think of a better way to put it) council tenants, and as the council have a duty of care for their tenants it's a losing battle. She was also told by a few estate agents that as so many flats are still council owned to see your investment reap the rewards you would need to be there over 20+ years until the whole estate was regenerated and became privately owned. Overall i did feel safe in the estate, most people just going about their daily business, but it was noisy with kids in the evenings/ summer playing footie in the car park, there were some unsavoury characters dealing at night very obviously from certain flats, the noise between flats - up/down and either side is really loud, and like many have mentioned the service charges are ridiculous if you own the flat. I left and bought a flat, all be it one where the council is a freeholder and I can honestly say I will never ever buy a flat again where Southwark is the freeholder. I am in the midst of footing a large bill for unnecessary major works, which i'm told even by the contractors themselves won't be done to a good job, yet i'm paying for it all with no choice! This is a frequent occurrence and every year my service charge exceeds the estimate in its hundreds. Southwark are an absolute nightmare to deal with, its always a battle and you invariably lose. If I were buying again I would steer well clear of council owned properties...just my two cents.