Crossword Genius

Loan broke the French up (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

rental

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'loan' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both related to property as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'broke the french up' is the wordplay.
'broke' becomes 'rent' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'the french' becomes 'la' ('the' in French).
'up' says the letters should be written backwards (in down clue: letters go upwards).
'la' backwards is 'al'.
'rent'+'al'='RENTAL'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for rental that I've seen before include "Let" , "Amount paid for hiring something" , "Payment to landlord" , "money for landlord" , "What's offered by a letter" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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