4.  The applicants were respectively born in 1955, 1923, 1957 and 1961 and live in Rome. 5.  The applicants are the owners of a flat in Rome, which they had let to M.T.S. 6.  In a writ served on the tenant on 29 April 1992, the applicants informed the tenant of their intention to terminate the lease on expiry of the term on 31 December 1992 and summoned the tenant to appear before the Rome Magistrate. 7.  By a decision of 3 December 1992, 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 30 May 1995. 8.  On 8 August 1995, the applicants served notice on the tenant requiring her to vacate the premises. 9.  On 15 September 1995, they served notice on the tenant informing her that the order for possession would be enforced by a bailiff on 13 October 1995. 10.  Between 13 October 1995 and 27 October 1999, the bailiff made twenty-six attempts to recover possession. Each attempt proved unsuccessful, as the applicants were not entitled to police assistance in enforcing the order for possession. 11.  On 23 March 2000, the applicants recovered possession of the flat.