A grieving son is urging a council to rethink its housing policy after the authority refused his bid to move into his late dad's bungalow.

Rob Pollock, 55, wants to take on the property in Charing in a move he says would be a "like-for-like" swap with his current council home in the village.

But Ashford Borough Council (ABC) says he will not be able to have the bungalow as it must be offered to others on its housing register.

The two-bed home was never signed over to Mr Pollock, who suffers from osteoarthritis and has been told by doctors he will likely need a wheelchair in later years.

He says ABC should show more compassion as the sloped entrance, driveway and bigger doors at his father's ex-home in Downs Way would improve his quality of life.

"I have even offered to buy it and would go literally skint if it meant I could have it," Mr Pollock said.

"But they won't let us do that because dad’s signature is not on any paperwork.

“They've just said no, it’s not our policy. It’s heartless.

“I've got PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder], COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], sleep apnea, osteoarthritis in my back, my neck, hips, knees and ankles, and my dad’s place is more accessible than mine.”

Mr Pollock says it takes “30 minutes just to get the shopping in” at his current council-owned property due to his medical issues.

His sister Tracey Seber, 60, says the family also have "lots of memories attached" to their father's former home, where he had lived for 34 years before dying suddenly in his sleep on June 30.

"Rob’s is a two-bed, dad's is a two-bed,” she said.

“And his medical need is saying that he’s not going to be able to stay where he is because the osteoarthritis has spread.

“Dad just went to bed and didn't wake up, so it was a very sudden loss, which makes it worse.”

Mr Pollock says he tried to convince his dad - James ‘Buster’ Pollock, 83 - to buy or sign over his home, but he was reluctant to.

He has now offered to paint his own property and carry out any necessary renovations at his dad’s former home at his own cost.

But the council has blocked his request, saying it must “ensure fairness and transparency”.

Mr Pollock, a father-of-one and stepfather-of-two, said: “When it’s like for like I don’t see the problem.

“It’s not just me either. There are other people who have found themselves in the same boat.”

His sister continued: “All we're asking for is for Rob to move into his two-bedroom bungalow, and they will still have a two-bedroom bungalow to rent.

“They're not losing out, so I can't understand why they're so adamant against it.

“When you have such a sudden loss like this it's something you don't need on top of it really.

“You're grieving anyway, and this just adds to it.

“I think they should judge each case on its own merits, because if you have a blanket policy like that it makes it more difficult for some than for others.”

ABC, which is led by an Ashford Independent/Green Party coalition, says it empathises with Mr Pollock.

“There is high demand for our accommodation, and we must offer it using our lettings policy to ensure fairness and transparency," a spokesman said.

“We currently have about 431 eligible applicants on our housing register for a bungalow.

“While we can understand this gentleman’s desire to be offered this property, our lettings policy requires us to select an applicant in housing need based on their position on the housing register.

“This property in Charing will be advertised via Kent Homechoice and all eligible applicants will have the opportunity to bid, including this particular tenant if his need to move is evidenced.

“The gentleman has already been advised by their neighbourhood housing officer that he would be unable to move from his current accommodation to his late father’s bungalow as it is clearly set out in our lettings policy how accommodation is let when a property becomes vacant.

The spokesman added the authority has "great empathy for the fact this property holds many memories and emotional attachment" for Mr Pollock.

They added: “We asked the neighbourhood housing officer to revisit the tenant to ensure that there was no change in his circumstance or housing need that would render his current accommodation unsuitable, and any changes would be considered in accordance with the lettings policy.”