(A) Whenever a petition is filed with the Housing Enforcement Officer by any official of the city or any department head having duties relating to health, fire or building regulations or to any other activities concerning dwellings in the city, or by at least five residents of the city, charging that any dwelling is unfit for human habitation, or whenever it appears to the Enforcement Officer, on his own motion, that any dwelling is unfit for human habitation, he shall, if his preliminary investigation discloses a basis for the charges, issue and cause to be served a complaint upon the owner of and all parties of interest in the dwelling.
(B) The complaint shall state the charges in that respect and contain a notice that a hearing will be held before the Enforcement Officer or his designated agent, at a place therein fixed, not less than ten days nor more than 30 days after the serving of the complaint. The owner and parties in interest shall be given the right to file an answer to the complaint and to appear in person or to otherwise give testimony at the place and time fixed in the complaint.
(C) The rules of evidence prevailing in courts of law or equity shall not be controlling in hearings before the Enforcement Officer.
(S.C. Code § 31-15-30(2)) (‘88 Code, § 5.203)