6.  The applicants are the owners of an apartment in Florence, which they had let to M.N. 7.  In a writ served on the tenant on 15 February 1986, the applicants informed the tenant of their intention to terminate the lease and summoned her to appear before the Florence Magistrate. 8.  By a decision of 13 March 1986, which was made enforceable on 24 March 1986, the Florence Magistrate upheld the validity of the notice to quit and ordered that the premises be vacated by 31 December 1988. 9.  On 13 April 1989, the applicants made a statutory declaration that they urgently required the premises as accommodation for their son. 10.  On 13 May 1989, the applicants served notice on the tenant requiring her to vacate the premises. 11.  On 14 June 1989, they served notice on the tenant informing her that the order for possession would be enforced by a bailiff on 9 August 1989. 12.  Between 9 August 1989 and 1 December 1998, the bailiff made nineteen attempts to recover possession. Each attempt proved unsuccessful, as the applicants were never granted the assistance of the police in enforcing the order for possession. 13.  Pursuant to Law no. 431/98, the enforcement proceedings were suspended until 3 November 1999. 14.  By a decision of 3 July 2000, which was made enforceable on 6 September 2000, the Florence Magistrate ordered that the premises be vacated by 15 March 2001. 15.  On 1 March 2001, the applicants served notice on the tenant informing her that the order for possession would be enforced by a bailiff on 15 March 2001. 16.  Pursuant to Law no. 388/00 and then to Legislative Decree no. 247/01 the enforcement proceedings were suspended until 28 March 2002.