4.  The applicant was born in 1933 and lives in Sesto Fiorentino (Florence). 5.  He is the owner of a flat in Sesto Fiorentino, which he had let to G.C. and G.P. 6.  In a registered letter of 29 November 1990, the applicant informed the tenants that he intended to terminate the lease on expiry of the term on 31 December 1991 and asked them to vacate the premises by that date. 7.  In a writ served on the tenants on 17 April 1991, the applicant reiterated his intention to terminate the lease and summoned the tenants to appear before the Florence Magistrate. 8.  By a decision of 23 May 1991, which was made enforceable on 31 July 1991, the Florence Magistrate upheld the validity of the notice to quit and ordered that the premises be vacated by 31 December 1992. 9.  On 29 April 1993, the applicant made a statutory declaration that he urgently required the premises as accommodation for his son. 10.  On 14 May 1993, the applicant served notice on the tenants requiring them to vacate the premises. 11.  On 2 June 1993, he served notice on the tenants informing them that the order for possession would be enforced by a bailiff on 15 July 1993. 12.  Between 15 July 1993 and 15 October 1998, the bailiff made eleven attempts to recover possession. Each attempt proved unsuccessful, as the applicant was never granted the assistance of the police in enforcing the order for possession. 13.  Pursuant to section 6 of Law no. 431/98, the enforcement proceedings were suspended until 27 June 1999. 14.  On that date, the tenants asked the Florence Magistrate for a new suspension. On 11 July 2000, the Florence Magistrate decided to fix a new date for the enforcement proceedings, namely 25 January 2001. 15.  On 31 October 2000, the applicant recovered possession of the flat because the tenants spontaneously vacated the premises.