The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word RIVEN
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
R
I
V
E
N
More clues leading to the result RIVEN
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Rent" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case rent = riven.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does RIVEN mean?
RIVEN verb- To tear apart by force; to rend; to split; to cleave.
- To pierce or cleave with a weapon.
- Torn apart.
- Broken into pieces; split asunder.