4.  The applicant was born in 1938 and lives in Lucca. 5.  He is the owner of a flat in Florence, which he had let to A.D.L. 6.  In a registered letter of 28 June 1983, the applicant informed the tenant that he intended to terminate the lease on expiry of the term on 30 December 1983 and asked him to vacate the premises by that date. 7.  In a writ served on the tenant on 23 December 1986, the applicant reiterated his intention to terminate the lease and summoned the tenant to appear before the Florence Magistrate. 8.  By a decision of 22 January 1987, which was made enforceable on 3 September 1987, the Florence Magistrate upheld the validity of the notice to quit and ordered that the premises be vacated by 31 December 1988. 9.  On 7 June 1989, the applicant served notice on the tenant requiring him to vacate the premises. 10.  On 5 July 1989, he informed the tenant that the order for possession would be enforced by a bailiff on 26 July 1989. 11.  Between 26 July 1989 and 20 March 1995, the bailiff made 13 attempts to recover possession. 12.  On 20 July 1995, the applicant made a statutory declaration that he urgently required the premises as accommodation for his children. 13.  Between 19 October 1995 and 17 April 2002, the bailiff made 11 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.  In October 2002, the applicant recovered possession of the flat.