7.  On 21 March 1985, the applicant applied to the Vienna Arbitration Board (Schlichtungsstelle) for an increase in the rent payable by his tenants to enable repairs to the house. The increase was granted on 25 June 1985. 8.  On 28 June 1985, several tenants filed an appeal against this decision with the Hernals District Court (Bezirksgericht). The court held hearings on 25 October 1985, 24 January and 28 February 1986. On 27 May 1986, the court determined the classification of the respective apartments for the purposes of rent calculation under the Rent Act. It dismissed one tenant's request to render an interlocutory decision on a preliminary issue as it could be joined to the merits. On 18 November 1987, the Vienna Regional Civil Court (Landesgericht für Zivilrechtssachen) dismissed that tenant's appeal concerning an interlocutory decision. 9.  The District Court held a further hearing on 26 August 1988. It appointed an expert on 8 September and, after this expert had declared bias, appointed another expert on 5 October 1988. On 2 March 1989, following two extensions of the time-limit set for this purpose, the applicant submitted documents required by the court. On 16 May 1989 the expert submitted his opinion. Thereupon, further hearings were held on 5 October 1989, 23 January, 18 May and 18 October 1990 and 6 February 1991. A hearing which had been scheduled for 16 May 1991 had to be postponed to 9 August 1991 as the court had failed to serve the applicant's submissions on the other parties in time. At the hearing of 9 August 1991 the judge closed the taking of evidence. 10.  On 16 March 1992, the proceedings were resumed for the taking of further evidence and hearings were held on 8 July and 18 December 1992, and on 20 April 1993 when the proceedings were adjourned for delivery of a written judgment. The applicant was ordered to submit further documents which he did on 11 May 1993. 11.  Throughout the District Court proceedings the judge responsible for dealing with the case changed four times. The parties made numerous requests for the taking of evidence. One tenant in particular filed numerous objections against the minutes of the hearings. 12.  On 29 June 1994, the applicant filed an application under section 91 of the Courts Act (Gerichtsorganisationsgesetz) for a time-limit to be fixed for the delivery of the written judgment. On 20 October 1994, the Vienna Regional Civil Court granted this application and set a time-limit of six weeks. 13.  On 12 June 1995, the District Court dismissed the applicant's claim for a rent increase. The applicant's appeal against the decision of 1 July 1995 was dismissed by the Vienna Regional Civil Court on 12 December 1995. 14.  On 16 April 1996, the Supreme Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) dismissed the applicant's appeal on points of law, noting that the conditions of section 528 § 1 of the Code of Civil Procedure were not met. According to this provision, an appeal on points of law against the decision of an appellate court is only admissible if it raises a legal issue of particular importance for the uniformity, certainty, or further development of the law. The judgment was served on 24 May 1996.