French real estate agency Laforêt created controversy and has been accused of racism after publishing an advertisement for an apartment for rent where black people are asked to refrain from applying.

''Attention, important for the tenant selection: Mandatory French nationality. No blacks'' was listed among prerequisites which are necessary to be fulfilled in order to apply for the rental apartment advertised by Laforêt in Levallois-Perret, a French district located northwest of Paris.

The racist announcement went viral on social media, and was criticized for being another example of widespread discrimination present in the French society.

Local media outlets report that Laurent Balestra, responsible for the real estate agency, said it was an exceptional case, and defended his company against accusations of racism.

He also said that the racist condition was the requirement of the landlord, adding that the real estate agent, naive and poorly trained, just pasted what the home owner typed.

Balestra also stressed that when landlords are racist, he asks agency employees not to process the file.

Anti-racist French NGO SOS Racisme released a statement saying legal action can be taken against such discrimination.

A 2014 study carried out in France had also revealed that at least a third of applicants speaking French with a foreign accent were rejected their rental application, local media outlets also report.