A real estate agent has been declared unfit to practice by Northern Territory authorities after they discovered he had written to a tenant in what could be read as a ‘bullying threat’.
Christos Raptis has been refused a license by the NT Agents Licensing Board after two separate complaints about his conduct, first made in 2023.
The board also noted that Mr Raptis, a director of Adelaide-based Raptis Real Estate, was already running a property management business in the NT despite not having the legally required license.
In its findings, the board said that while Mr. Raptis had no malicious intent, he was “so incompetent” that “it appears he could not fill out any forms,” reports NT news.
In relation to the second complaint, it said: ‘Mr Raptis had created a hostile and stressful environment [the complainant] as a tenant specifically reporting harassment, retaliation, gaslighting, threats of legal action, bullying and discrimination,” it says.
Christos Raptis was denied a license to run a real estate business in the NT after complaints
The NT Agents Licensing Board was damning in its findings.
‘On the whole, the board has concluded that Mr Raptis carried on a real estate business (mainly property management) in the NT when he did not know enough about NT law and practice to do the work competently and was so incompetent with regarding fundamental issues relating to property management that he should not have been licensed at the time,” the decision reads.
‘The board accepts that Mr Raptis is likely to be much more knowledgeable about certain aspects of NT law arising from the handling of the complaints lodged against him.
‘However, there are many other areas of NT law and practice that differ from that elsewhere in Australia.
‘The board does not consider it practical to grant a license subject to the conditions that Mr Raptis somehow acquires the relevant knowledge or employs persons capable of dealing with NT issues.
“Beyond the conduct issues, the board is particularly concerned that Mr. Raptis operated a business knowing that it did not comply with the fundamental provision of the law – that of the need for a permit.”
The NT Licensing Board was scathing, saying it appeared Mr Raptis could not ‘fill in forms’
The board called his behavior “inappropriate and unacceptable for a real estate agent” and denied him a license.
Mr Raptis’ property business page features listings for properties mainly in Adelaide, but also a handful in NT, Victoria and NSW.
‘Real estate is available 24/7. That’s why we love it, because money never sleeps,” the website said.
‘Our company attracts a certain type of customer base, just like certain brands in fashion, motorsport and, you guessed it, real estate.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Raptis for comment.
