7.  The applicant is the owner of an apartment in Turin, which he had let to G.C. 8.  In a writ of 7 November 1991, the applicant informed the tenant that he intended to terminate the lease on expiry of the term on 31 December 1991, and asked him to vacate the premises by that date. He summoned him to appear before the Turin Magistrate on 29 November 1991. 9.  By a decision of 22 January 1992, which was made enforceable on the same day, the Turin Magistrate upheld the validity of the notice to quit and ordered that the premises be vacated by 22 January 1993. 10.  On 24 December 1992, the applicant made a statutory declaration that he urgently required the premises as accommodation for himself. 11.  On 13 January 1993, the applicant served notice on the tenant requiring him to vacate the premises. 12.  On 2 February 1993 he served notice on the tenant informing him that the order for possession would be enforced by a bailiff on 9 March 1993. 13.  Between 9 March 1993 and 23 July 1998, the bailiff made fifteen 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. 14.  On an unspecified day of July 1998, the applicant recovered possession of the apartment.