The guest who won't leave, radiators that are too hot, & more

Maybe many of you are dealing with squatters, or maybe you were just curious, but whatever the reason, this week readers were very interested in an article about a guest who refused to vacate an apartment after the lease ended. 

Turns out, not returning a vacant apartment to a landlord at the end of a lease is a very serious matter, one that can land a tenant in court, even if you have paid your rent in full. (If you had a personal experience with a squatter in your NYC apartment or building, send Brick an email with a few details about what happened. We may contact you for an article.)

Also of interest: A good ventilation system was a must-have for this apartment hunter with bad allergies.

Here are this week's top five posts:

1) My brother’s friend has been squatting at my former apartment and won’t leave now that the lease is up. Am I liable?

2) The heat is blasting in my apartment, and it’s making my cats sick and preventing me from sleeping. What can I do?

3) From Hudson Yards to Long Island City: My allergies were ruining my life and now I'm breathing better

4) Housing lottery opens for 299 units at a new development in Coney Island

5) Housing lottery opens for 40 apartments in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn

And from our sponsors:

Here’s how much it costs to partially renovate a Brooklyn brownstone [sponsored]