An astonishing 17,557 properties are empty and not being used across the city, according to official government figures.

The statistics are likely to infuriate the 24,444 households in Leeds who are currently waiting for social housing. The council house waiting list has grown by 4,800 during the last decade.

The vast majority of the empty homes (15,297) are privately owned and many are believed to be executive one or two bedroom 'yuppie' flats, which were built during the city's boom years but are now un-sellable because of the credit crunch.

The figures confirm that Leeds now has the second largest empty housing stock in the country.

There are 14,459 empty homes in Liverpool, 13,251 in Manchester, 11,340 in Birmingham. Greater London has 82,327 empty properties.

Leeds council today said its own figures show that a much smaller number of homes (7,500) have been empty for six months or more.

Of these, 2,500 are privately owned and 4,000 owned by either the council, housing associations or registered social landlords.

Nevertheless, calls were made by both Tory and Labour politicians for the council and the city's housing associations to get more powers to bring empty homes into use.

Conservative leader David Cameron wants rules governing the size of properties, their suitability for certain kinds of users and what facilities they offer to be eased.

But his proposals were criticised by Liberal Democrat shadow housing spokesman Sarah Teather, who said that lowering the standards "will condemn families to living in cramped or drafty homes".

Leeds West Labour MP John Battle estimates that 10,000 privately owned empty homes stand alongside the city's canal-side, although he stressed that many will be too small for families. He wants Leeds council to be given the power to buy up homes and sell them off again.

Councils can currently use empty dwelling management orders which allow them to seize, renovate and lease a property for up to seven years, before returning it to its owner. The property has to have stood empty for six months before the process can start.

The figures also show 1,971 empty properties in the city are local authority owned and 281 are owned by registered social landlords.

There are 5,712 empty homes in Wakefield and 18,169 households on the social housing waiting list. A total of 6,785 properties stand empty in Kirklees, with 8,500 households waiting for a home.

Housing minister Iain Wright said: "We have already given local authorities strengthened powers to bring empty homes back into use, and we will continue to look at what more we can do to help people in housing need."

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