Renting is an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property owned by another. A gross lease is when the tenant pays a flat rental amount and the landlord pays for all property charges regularly incurred by the ownership.

There are many possible reasons for renting instead of buying, for example:

Short-term rental of all sorts of products (excluding real estate and holiday apartments) already represents an estimated €108 billion ($160 billion) annual market in Europe and is expected to grow further as the internet makes it easier to find specific items available for rent. According to a poll by YouGov, 76% of people looking to rent would go to the internet first to find what they need; rising to 88% for those aged 25–34.

It has been widely reported that the financial crisis of 2007–2010 may have contributed to the rapid growth of online rental marketplaces, such as erento, as consumers are more likely to consider renting instead of buying in times of financial hardship. Environmental concerns, fast depreciation of goods, and a more transient workforce also mean that consumers are increasingly searching for rentals online.

The Rentals are an American rock band fronted by vocalist Matt Sharp, best known as the former bass player for rock group Weezer. The band is best known for their mid-1990s hit single, "Friends of P.". The group has released two albums, Return of the Rentals and Seven More Minutes on Maverick Records. The band quietly dissolved in 1999 following the world tour for their second album, but reformed in 2005 and has since then released several EPs.

The group is known for their quirky Moog-driven melodies and a mix of male and female vocals. Their first single, "Friends of P" off of their debut album Return of the Rentals, was a modern rock radio hit, peaking at #7 on Billboard's Modern Rock Chart and #92 on the Billboard Hot 100. The accompanying music video was shot with antiquated equipment, on black and white film stock, for a total budget of less than $1,000. Upon its release, the video was added to MTV's playlist in early November 1995.

Early the next year, "Waiting" was released as the follow-up single, and it was also chosen to be featured on the soundtrack to the MTV Films comedy Joe's Apartment. The music video that had already been shot for "Waiting" was edited together with clips of footage from the movie, and this version made its debut on 120 Minutes. Both versions of the music video were eventually released, and can be viewed on video websites like Youtube.