4.  The applicants were respectively born in 1927 and 1929 and live in Rome. 5.  They are the owners of a flat in Rome, which they had let to L.S. 6.  In a registered letter of 19 February 1990, the applicants informed the tenant that they intended to terminate the lease on expiry of the term on 31 December 1991 and asked him to vacate the premises by that date. 7.  In a writ served on the tenant on 28 December 1990, the applicants reiterated their intention to terminate the lease and summoned the tenant to appear before the Rome Magistrate. 8.  By a decision of 9 May 1991, which was made enforceable on the same day, the Rome Magistrate upheld the validity of the notice to quit and ordered that the premises be vacated by 31 December 1992. 9.  On 12 February 1993, the applicants served notice on the tenant requiring him to vacate the premises. 10.  On 16 April 1993, they served notice on the tenant informing him that the order for possession would be enforced by a bailiff on 6 May 1993. 11.  Between 6 May 1993 and 7 December 1999, the bailiff made twelve attempts to recover possession. Each attempt proved unsuccessful, as the applicants were not entitled to police assistance in enforcing the order for possession. 12.  On 6 June 2000, the applicants recovered possession of the flat.