6.  The applicants were born in 1908, 1929 and 1935 and live  respectively one in Turin and the others in Tronzano Vercellese. 7.  They are the owners of a flat in Turin, which they had let to M.M. 8.  In a writ served on the tenant on 8 January 1992, the applicants informed the tenant of their intention to terminate the lease and summoned him to appear before the Turin Magistrate. 9.  By a decision of 19 February 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 19 February 1993. 10.  On 22 February 1993, the applicants served notice on the tenant requiring him to vacate the premises. 11.  On 18 March 1993 they served notice on the tenant informing him that the order for possession would be enforced by a bailiff on 2 April 1993. 12.  Between 2 April 1993 and 13 January 1999, the bailiff made fourteen attempts to recover possession. Each attempt proved unsuccessful, as the applicants were not entitled to police assistance in enforcing the order for possession. 13.  Pursuant to article no. 6 of Law no. 431/98, the evictions proceedings were suspended until 20 January 2000. 14.  On 27 January 2000, the applicants recovered possession of the flat.