8.  The applicants were born in 1951 and 1953 respectively and live in Florence. 9.  Mrs B.P. was the owner of an apartment in Florence, which she had let to M.D.S. 10.  In a writ served on the tenant on 21 November 1985, she informed him of her intention to terminate the lease expiring on 31 May 1986 and summoned him to appear before the Florence Magistrate. 11.  By a decision of 9 December 1985, which was made enforceable on 11 October 1988, the Florence Magistrate upheld the validity of the notice to quit and ordered that the premises be vacated by 31 December 1988. 12.  On 17 December 1986, the applicants became the owners of the apartment. 13.  On 8 November 1989, the applicants served notice on the tenant requiring him to vacate the premises. 14.  On 27 December 1989, they served notice on the tenant informing him that the order for possession would be enforced by a bailiff on 23 January 1990. 15.  On 2 June 1990, the applicants made a statutory declaration that they urgently required the premises as accommodation for themselves. 16.  Between 23 January 1990 and 17 June 1996, the bailiff made fourteen 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. 17.  On 4 September 1996, the tenant vacated the premises.