A Jewish family in the Paris suburb of Villeneuve-la-Garenne has been instructed by their building’s management company to remove a mezuzah affixed to their apartment doorway.

In a formal letter, L’Ami Immobilier Conseil — an agency operating under the Century 21 brand — directed the family to take down the mezuzah and “restore the door frame to its original condition within fifteen days from receipt of this letter.”

According to the letter, the mezuzah had been installed on the exterior frame of the apartment door “without any authorization.” The agency argued that the exterior frame of landing doors constitutes a common area of the building and that any modification, “regardless of its nature,” requires prior approval from the general assembly of co-owners.

The notice cited Article 9 of the July 10, 1965 law governing French co-ownership properties, which requires residents to use common areas in a way that does not infringe on the rights of other co-owners or alter the building’s intended purpose or aesthetic appearance.

The letter further warned that if the family does not comply within the specified timeframe, the co-owners’ association could undertake restoration work at the “exclusive expense of the co-owner concerned,” and potentially pursue additional damages.

The agency said that the request was made “independently of any personal or religious consideration,” asserting that it was solely aimed at enforcing co-ownership rules and applicable regulations.

Following public reaction on social media, Century 21 France issued a statement saying its customer service department is reviewing the matter and has contacted the local agency to clarify the circumstances surrounding the letter.

“Century 21 France obviously does not endorse this type of letter, and even less any form of discrimination,” the company said, urging the public to await further explanation from the agency involved.

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