4.  The applicant was born in 1933 and lives in Terni. 5.  He is the owner of a flat in Scala (Salerno), which he had let to G.C. and R.F. 6.  In a writ served on the tenants on 17 January 1991, the applicant informed them 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.  He summoned the tenants to appear before the Salerno Magistrate. 8.  By a decision of 14 June 1991, which was made enforceable on the same day, the Salerno Magistrate upheld the validity of the notice to quit and ordered that the premises be vacated by 30 April 1993. 9.  On 2 August 1993, the applicant served notice on the tenants requiring them to vacate the premises. 10.  On 7 October 1993, he informed the tenants that the order for possession would be enforced by a bailiff on 21 October 1993. 11.  On 21 October 1993, the bailiff made one attempt to recover possession, which proved unsuccessful, as the applicant was not granted the assistance of the police in enforcing the order for possession. After that date and until the 29 February 2000, the bailiff did not make any attempt to recover possession because the applicant was never granted the assistance of the police in enforcing the order for possession. 12.  On 29 February 2000, the applicant, reaching a friendly agreement with the tenants, recovered possession of the flat.