This booklet is the first of a new series of Quick Housing Policy Guides that seek to present in an easy to read format concepts, policy approaches, tools and recommendations to help governments address housing issues. It begins by outlining how rental accommodation is home to hundreds of millions of people and how governments have neglected its importance. It also describes the many myths about rental housing that governments often use to justify this neglect. It then outlines the characteristics of rental housing, including the many forms it takes and the supply side (including different types of landlord) and demand side (including a discussion of the advantages of renting for many groups). It ends with a summary of key issues for policy makers to consider and also policy guidelines. This includes suggestions for helping self-help landlords to build or improve rental accommodation.