I think they should let friends that share the estate be able to reset the timer. After all, the estate is being used if the one sharing it ... well... uses it, precisely for emergencies such as this.

Though you could always break the ToS (?), lend a friend your account data and let him log in & reset the timer.
Seems like a lot of trouble just to not get punished for "RL-happens".

Still, with the limited spots available and no server side solution in sight, I kinda get why SE does it.