Thousands face wait of up to 10 years for Sandwell council home
More than 6,000 people are currently waiting for a council house in Sandwell - with an unlucky 36 having been on the list for more than a decade.
A total of 6,199 households are currently registered on Sandwell Council's house waiting list.
Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request show 1,455 of these have been waiting for more than a year to be housed - 1,888 for more than two years and 297 for more than five years.
Thirty-six people have been on the register for more than 10 years. Some people register for housing in case they need accommodation in the future but they are not actually actively looking for housing.
UKIP's Sandwell secretary Ric Keeling described the housing situation as 'not good enough'.
Meanwhile council leader Darren Cooper said on average the council turned around applications within two months.
Mr Keeling said: "The council certainly needs to get a better housebuilding programme going.
"The fact that there are over 6,000 on the waiting list isn't good enough and council house building in Sandwell leaves a lot to be desired.
"As far as the 36 people on the list who have been waiting for more than 10 years go, I'd love to know the reasons they've been waiting so long and why they've put up with it for 10 years."
Councillor Cooper said: "On average so far this year we have rehoused people in about eight weeks.
"There are lots of factors affecting how long an applicant waits, mainly relating to supply and demand.
"Some applications are quite specific about the type of property and the area they're after and are willing to wait for exactly what they want.
"We also have applicants who register in case they need accommodation in the future and as such are not actively looking for accommodation.
"They place a 'bid' each year to keep their application live.
"These applicants may remain on the housing register for many years by choice."
The council's deputy leader Steve Eling said nationally there is a housing crisis and that Sandwell wasn't immune from that. He added the council was building homes to combat the problem.
Last month, the council revealed work is progressing well on a £3.25 million project to build 29 council homes on the former site of a West Bromwich infant and junior school.
Kier Living is building the houses at Kent Close for the authority.
The development features 13 two-bedroom, ten three-bedroom and six four-bedroom homes.
