The local health officer, when satisfied upon due examination, that a cellar, room, tenement or building in the town, occupied as a dwelling place, has become, by reason of want of cleanliness or other cause, unfit for such purpose and a cause of sickness to the occupants or the public, may issue, in consultation with the department, a notice in writing to such occupants, or the owner or the owner's agent, or any one of them, requiring the premises to be put into a proper condition as to cleanliness, or, if they see fit, requiring the occupants to quit the premises within such time as the local health officer may deem reasonable. If the persons so notified, or any of them, neglect or refuse to comply with the terms of the notice, the local health officer may cause the premises to be properly cleansed at the expense of the owner, or may close the premises, and the same shall not be again occupied as a dwelling place until put in a proper sanitary condition. If the owner thereafter occupies or knowingly permits the same to be occupied without putting the same in proper sanitary condition, the owner shall forfeit not less than $10 nor more than $50 for each day that the premises remain unfit following written notification that the premises are unfit.   [PL 1989, c. 487, §9 (AMD).]