Schembri Propety Management says it will fight an order to pay back the deposit of a student who planned to live in its 1 Columbia building in Waterloo.

The property manager has been ordered by the Landlord and Tenant Board to pay Connor Ruest $1,530 – refunding her application fee and deposit.

“They know that they’re in the wrong. They’ve been told that they’re in the wrong by the LBT,” Ruest’s father, Caesar Ruest, told CTV News on Tuesday, days after receiving a letter from the board outlining its decision.

Connor Ruest was one of a number of students unable to move into the building at the start of the school year, due to it not being ready for occupancy.

The board ordered the payment to be made by Nov. 10 – however, a Schembri representative says the decision will be appealed.

“We will be appealing as our paralegal was unable to attend the prior hearing and it is not a final decision,” the representative said in an email.

Shaun Harvey, a paralegal representing other students looking to get their money back from Schembri, says he was startled to hear an appeal is in the works.

“I’m actually very surprised that they’re challenging this at all,” he said.

Schembri representatives have previously blamed the delays on issues with subcontractors working on the high-rise.

Tuesday, they said “99 per cent” of the tenants still wanting to live in the building have moved in, the building is “nearing completion” and some renewals and new leases have also been signed.

A spokesperson for the Landlord and Tenant Board says 22 more applications have been received in connection with 1 Columbia, involving at least 60 units in total.

Hearings in some of those cases are scheduled for various dates in November and January.