Century 21 Property Manager Orders Removal of Jewish Mezuzah Under Legal Threat

A Jewish family in Villeneuve-la-Garenne, a suburb of Paris, was formally ordered by a local Century 21 property manager to remove a mezuzah from their apartment doorframe within 15 days or face possible legal action.?Mezouzah indésirable?

The letter, dated February 13, 2026, was issued by Century 21 L’Ami Immobilier Conseil, which serves as the building’s property manager. It states that the mezuzah was installed on the exterior doorframe of apartment unit A 206, which the agency classifies as part of the building’s common areas.

“During monitoring of the management of the property, we noticed the installation of a mezuzah on the exterior doorframe of your apartment (Unit A 206). We wish to draw your attention to the fact that the exterior doorframes of apartments constitute a common area of the building,” the letter reads.

The company argued that any modification affecting shared areas requires prior authorization. “As such, any intervention, repair, or modification whatsoever is subject to compliance with building regulations when it affects the appearance of common areas or the harmony of the building, and requires prior approval from the condominium board. However, the installation of the mezuzah was carried out without any request or authorization from the company.”

The notice further cites Article 9 of the French law of July 10, 1965 governing co-owned properties. “It therefore constitutes private use of a common area, in violation of Article 9 of the law dated July 10, 1965, which requires each co-owner to enjoy common areas without infringing upon the rights of other co-owners or the purpose and aesthetics of the building.”

The agency formally demanded removal of the mezuzah within 15 days. “As a result, we hereby formally request that you remove this element and restore the doorframe to its original condition within fifteen days of receiving this letter.”

The letter warns that failure to comply could lead to legal action. “If the situation is not corrected within this timeframe, the management company reserves the right to take all necessary action to remedy this irregularity, including legal proceedings, and to carry out the required repairs at the expense of the owner concerned.”

The agency also included a disclaimer stating: “This letter is sent without any personal or religious considerations and solely in accordance with the building regulations and the relevant laws.”

Following public attention to the case, Century 21 France responded on X, distancing itself from the notice. “Our customer service department is handling the matter and has already contacted the agency in order to identify the circumstances under which this letter was sent,” the company wrote.

“Century 21 France obviously does not endorse this type of letter, and even less any form of discrimination,” the statement continued, adding that it is awaiting clarification from the local agency before issuing further comment.