Not less than four days before the date of the inquiry specified in a control summons the owner or occupier of the premises concerned shall, if he intends to show cause why a control order should not be made, lodge with the clerk of court and deliver to the applicant for the control order copies of a written statement setting out his reasons for opposing the making of the control order:
Provided that a housing court may, on good cause shown, grant an adjournment of the inquiry to enable an owner or occupier to comply with this section or may exempt such person from the requirement to comply therewith.