PEOPLE on the Dover District Council housing list could face waits of up to a DECADE before they are offered a home.

The shocking figure has been revealed to the Dover Express under the Freedom of Information Act.

The district has 1,677 homes, both council and private, laying empty and 3,142 people on the housing list either waiting for a home or a transfer to a different property.

But those people could be a long way from getting a property.

When the Express asked DDC how long the wait for a home was its performance officer told us: "The latest information we have, as at June 2008, suggests the average wait time varies between one year one month and 10 years five months, depending on the individual circumstances of the applicants and the size, type and the location of the property being sought."

A spokesman for homeless charity Shelter says more social housing is needed to combat the problem of people being stuck on housing waiting lists. She said: "People can be trapped for years and years on housing lists.

"Over the last decade or so building social housing has been neglected. Even if some of the empty properties are brought back into use the crucial thing is the delivery of more housing. A lot of property was sold off under Right to Buy, which was a good thing but then the houses were not replaced.

"Some of the properties may only be empty short term but it is vital that councils bring those that are empty into use by using powers available to them, such as issuing Empty Dwelling Management Orders which give authorities the power to take control of empty properties."

DDC's performance officer says work is being done to tackle the problem. She said: "In November 2008 the council joined a Choice Based Lettings scheme called Kent Homechoice, which is designed to offer applicants for housing in the Dover district a system which is easy to understand, open and fair and allows tenants to exercise some control over where they live.

"The council works with the owners of empty homes, private landlords and Registered Social Landlords to encourage the re-use of existing empty properties and to prevent homes becoming empty in the first instance."

Some 11 DDC homes need major work before they can be let. Another 15, varying from one bed flats to a three bed house, are fit to be used. While they are empty the council is losing around £1,000 a week in rent.

District council cabinet member for housing Sue Nicholas said: "I know people have to wait for a long time sometimes but the properties just don't come up."

Labour shadow member for housing Cllr Anne Smith has vowed to bring the issue up at the next meeting of the full council. She said: "The waiting time is disgusting. It is too long especially for youngsters. They are then only left with the option of going private and have to find a deposit, a month in advance and key money. Often it is too much."

Mrs Smith has personal experience of the lengthy wait. One of her son's put his name on the list when he was 18. He is now 28 and has never been offered a property.

kathy.bailes@krnmedia.co.uk