Whenever a petition is filed with the Building Inspector by at least five residents or the municipality charging that any dwelling is unfit for human habitation or whenever it appears to the Inspector (on his or her own motion) that any dwelling is unfit for human habitation, the Inspector shall, if his or her preliminary investigation discloses a basis for the charges, issue and cause to be served upon the owner of and parties having an interest in the dwelling including lien holders and tenants, if any, as shown by the records of the Register of Deeds of the county a complaint stating the charges in that respect and containing a notice that a hearing will be held before the Inspector (or his or her designated agent) at a place within the county in which the property is located therein fixed not less than ten days nor more than thirty days after the serving of the complaint; that the owner and parties in interest shall be given a right to file an answer to the complaint and to appear in person, or otherwise, and give testimony at the place and time fixed in the complaint; and that the rules of evidence prevailing in courts of law or equity shall not be controlling in hearings before the Inspector.
(1973 Code, § K-9)