Man jailed for trafficking women to Scotland loses bid to operate as a landlord in Glasgow

A man jailed for his part in trafficking women to Scotland for prostitution has lost his bid to operate as a landlord in Glasgow.

Vlassis Ntaoulias, who is currently locked up at HMP Shotts, didn’t declare his convictions on an application to be added to the register of private landlords.

He was convicted of human trafficking in September 2022 and later sentenced to seven years in prison. Three other people were also jailed.

Glasgow’s licensing committee heard how the application from Mr Ntaoulias, 35, related to a flat on Gallowgate. His firm, Arkiton Ltd, was already listed on the register for a separate property at Elizabeth Street in Ibrox, but has now been removed by the committee.

Environmental health staff received a complaint regarding the Gallowgate flat in July last year due to “water ingress in the property”, a council official said.

He added attempts to contact the landlord were “unanswered” and further investigations revealed his current address was HM Shotts.

Councillors were told the property is registered to Arkiton Ltd and Mr Ntaoulias is the sole director of the company. “However, the title deeds show the applicant is the legal owner and not the company,” the official said.

Officials requested information from Police Scotland and were informed of the applicant’s criminal history. They also sent an email to Mr Ntaoulias to advise he was required to “register as an individual and not a company”.

The official told the committee that the applicant applied to register as the landlord, but “failed to declare his convictions and his current place of residence”.

Cllr Zen Ghani, SNP, who was chairing the committee, said Mr Ntaoulias’ behaviour was “completely unacceptable and not in line with the standard we expect from landlords”.

Councillors also heard how Arkiton Ltd was listed on the register of private landlords for the Elizabeth Street property, having been approved in February 2022.

The official said the landlord “did not update their application for registration with the details of their convictions”, which is required.

The committee decided he was not “a fit and proper person” to remain on the register.