Renting Properties to Ultrawealthy Tenants Isn’t as Glamorous (or Easy) as It

“High-end luxury rentals create unique challenges for landlords because the tenants are high-net-worth individuals, often celebrities, who have special requirements,” said Julian Johnston, a real-estate broker at The Corcoran Group in Miami Beach. 

Mr. Johnston, who last year represented the owner of an 11-bedroom, 15-bath waterfront home in Miami Beach that was leased to a celebrity for $130,000 per month, recently worked on a deal where he had to sign a lease rider stating that “if I needed to go to the residence for any reason that I would not speak to, or look at, the tenant.” Another celebrity client wanted to ensure privacy at the rental home, so Mr. Johnston arranged to purchase $20,000 worth of 8-foot-high potted plants that were placed along the sea wall and on bedroom balconies so that paparazzi couldn’t shoot photographs from a boat offshore. 

The high-net-worth individuals who can afford to rent these properties often come with high expectations. Many demand almost concierge-level service from their landlords or the agents or property managers working on their behalf.

“In your average landlord-tenant relationship, the landlord pretty much dictates the terms, and the tenant will not have that much say,” said Zachary D. Schorr, a real-estate attorney in Los Angeles. “But when you get into these higher-priced leases, it’s not atypical for an attorney to negotiate the terms of the lease.” 

Eric Rollo, a licensed broker and managing partner of the Boston office of The Agency, recently worked on a lease where the tenant was a player for the Red Sox, who was renting a townhouse in Chestnut Hill, just outside Boston, for $18,000 a month. “He was in Florida at spring training but expected to arrive at a turnkey property,” he said. “So, we had shades installed, the internet and cable hooked up and everything done on the front end to make sure the property was ready.” 

Danny Hertzberg, a real-estate agent with The Jills Zeder Group at Coldwell Banker Realty in Miami Beach, also has coordinated requests from high-net-worth tenants. “I often receive the initial call with the complicated requests and then connect the tenants with the property manager, who makes all the arrangements for them,” he said. “They expect the fridge to be stocked and massage therapists, chefs and drivers to be arranged. They also want to know that the landlord has a professional management company that has the resources to respond at 4 a.m. on a Sunday morning for a leaky faucet.” 

Mr. Hertzberg said many landlords even do light remodeling between tenants so their properties are in pristine condition. 

Leases for high-end rentals can be complicated as well, with tenants demanding unique clauses that may adversely impact the rights of the owners.

Mr. Hertzberg was involved in the sale of a five-bedroom home on Palm Island in Miami Beach where, before signing the listing agreement, the owner rented it to a famous Reggaeton artist for over $100,000 a month. The tenant had his own security team, with multiple guards in front and in back of the property, and they were so protective that even though Mr. Hertzberg had the right to show the property to potential buyers, the guards wouldn’t let them access the premises. 

“We lost a lot of buyers because they weren’t willing to jump through hoops,” said Mr. Hertzberg. The tenant only allowed…