Landlord response time

[Daniel Lehman]

I live in NY and own a couple multifamily properties. I have a formal meeting with new tenants where I go over what I expect from them and what they can expect from me. One of the things I tell them is my business hours are M-F 9-5. They're free to call, text, or email whenever, but unless there's an emergency I won't get back to them until the next business day.

Recently a tenant's child spilled something in the bathroom and whatever it was leaked down into another unit with new tenants. I went over there after business hours because it sounded worse than it ended up being, but better safe than sorry. I brought my carpet shampooer because they said there was an odor.

This was a few days ago. I got a text from the tenant tonight around 8:30pm (it's Friday night) saying there's still an odor and that they scrubbed the carpet even after I shampooed it and they're asking if I can bring my carpet shampooer tomorrow.

What do I do? I specifically told them and all my tenants that unless it's an emergency, I won't get back to them until the next business day. They claim the odor to smell like urine and although it's unpleasant, it isn't an emergency to me so do I stand my ground and not get back to them until Monday? Or do I go against what I told them only 1 month ago and respond to them outside of my business hours for a non-emergency.

I can see why either option has pros and cons. So far I haven't responded.

[Patrick M.]

Can you explain how a child from another unit spills something that goes through the floor- ceiling and down onto the carpet of the unit under? 

I think you have bigger problems then response time here.