Gloria, my host, and I agreed that I would check in "after noon time" (as written in our last communication on the subject). But when I arrived, however, Gloria was not home. Another guest had to let me into the flat. But because I didn't have a key, I couldn't access my room for approximately three hours. When I sent Gloria a message explaining that I was there waiting to check in, she simply indicated that I'd have to wait. This was a big inconvenience, because I was essentially stuck in her flat for three hours -- unable to unpack or get settled in. I hadn't received a warning that Gloria was leaving or wouldn't be there to check me in. And because I was travelling internationally from the United States without a local SIM card I had no way of reaching out between my final message the night before and my arrival from Heathrow airport. Considering the fact that I said I would be there "after noon", and I was traveling from another country, I felt Gloria should have made more of an effort t to rectify the situation.
I will say that after this initial mix up, everything else went smoothly. My room was as described online and there was a variety of tea and other breakfast foods available in the morning. The neighborhood is close to the Forest Hill tube station, which made getting into Central London easy and fast.
Overall, I found Gloria to be kind and helpful, and she even lent me her umbrella on a rainy day, which I greatly appreciated! :)
Other travelers will be happy to know that if you need travel tips or the timetable for the tube, you can ask Gloria or find up-to-date copies in the front room.