If a tenant does not consent to inspection of a rental dwelling unit which that tenant occupies, the inspecting Code Official shall provide written notice to that tenant that:
(A) The Code Official will apply for an administrative warrant before the City of Weirton Municipal Court (“Municipal Court”) at the Municipal Court’s next scheduled hearing date, or, if impractical, the next available hearing date;
(B) The tenant has the right to appear at that hearing and contest the issuance of the administrative warrant; and
(C) Failure to appear at that hearing may result in the issuance of an administrative warrant permitting the Code Official to inspect the property in question.
(D) The written notice shall specify the time and date of the next Municipal Court session, and the purpose of the inspection.
(E) The tenant shall sign the notice and return the same to the Code Official prior to the Municipal Court’s next scheduled hearing date.
(F) Failure to sign and return the notice prior to the hearing date, or failure to appear at the hearing, shall constitute a waiver of the tenant’s right to contest the issuance of the aforementioned administrative warrant.
(Ord. 2182, passed 2-14-22)