i have flown around London and all the air traffic agencies there are great. They do expect a modicum of knowledge though if you are heading straight at a busy airfield and you mumble your position as over Folly farm just off the a4023 near Auntie Mauds house the normal response is land now don't come any closer!!!
The wake turbulence incident was caused by the pilot telling ATC he was a distance away and using kilometres instead of NM funnily enough he was not where ATC thought he was.
If you want to play with the big boys then buy a transponder and do your RT course its the only way!!
Cheers
G