4.  The applicant was born in 1929 and lives in Rome. 5.  He is the owner of a flat in Rome, which he had let to F.S.A. 6.  In a writ served on the tenant on 9 October 1984, the applicant informed the tenant of his intention to terminate the lease and summoned him to appear before the Rome Magistrate. 7.  By a decision of 23 October 1984, which was made enforceable on 8 November 1984, the Rome Magistrate upheld the validity of the notice to quit and ordered that the premises be vacated by 23 October 1985. 8.  On 12 February 1986, the applicant served notice on the tenant requiring him to vacate the premises. 9.  On 3 April 1986 he informed the tenant that the order for possession would be enforced by a bailiff on 9 May 1986. 10.  Between 9 May 1986 and 29 January 1999, the bailiff made forty-three attempts to recover possession. Each attempt proved unsuccessful, as the applicant was not entitled to police assistance in enforcing the order for possession. 11.  On 28 October 1998, the applicant instituted proceedings against the tenant in the Rome magistrate's court. Pursuant to Article 1591 of the Italian Civil Code, he sought the reimbursement of the damages caused by the tenant in terms of loss of rent. 12.  On 21 September 1999, the applicant recovered possession of the flat. 13.  On 26 November 1999, the applicant discontinued the civil proceedings instituted against the tenant. According to the applicant, he had had no prospects of obtaining adequate compensation in the light of the provisions of Law no. 421 of 9 December 1998 which limited the compensation claimable by the owner to a sum equal to the rent paid by the tenant at the time of the expiration of the lease, proportionally increased according to the cost of living, plus 20%, along the period of inability to dispose of the possession of the flat.