The owners of a Qormi house being used as a Labour club have given the party two weeks to vacate the property.

They also want the party to pay them damages after they claimed the house was taken “abusively and illegally”.

Through a judicial letter filed in court yesterday, the family claimed a breach of their right to enjoyment of their property as guaranteed by the European Convention of Human Rights.

The family members are: Clothilde Borg, Josephine Cassar, Jane Sammut, Charlotte Sammut, Carmen Mizzi, Joseph Mizzi, Salvinu Mizzi, Vincent Mizzi, Isabelle Mercieca, Cecilia Dalli and Felicita Micallef.

They filed their official letter against the Labour Party club on St Bartholomew Street and the Attorney General.

They gave the club two weeks to vacate the premises – which they inherited – and pay them compensation for use of the property.

Family claim the house was taken abusively and illegally

They also warned of further action in this regard.

Lawyers Jason Azzopardi and Kris Busietta signed the letter.

In a reaction, the PL said it was using the Qormi property in terms of a rent agreement regulated by law.

It pointed out it was only recently that regulations had been introduced for landlords to receive justice in terms of rent payment, which was never done when Dr Azzopardi was minister.

The party said that now that the landlords had opted to take this matter to court, it would abide by whatever the court decided.

In its own reaction, the Nationalist Party said the Prime Minister’s actions contradicted his words as the Labour government had withdrawn court proceedings initiated by the previous administration to retake Australia Hall in Pembroke, whose market value was some €10 million, from the PL.