Residents on King Charles' Sandringham estate in Norfolk have reported a vermin infestation in the gardens of rental properties, according to local complaints. The issue, which affects around 300 rental units, was raised at a recent Sandringham parish council meeting.
Rob Timmins, the estate manager, stated at the meeting that pest control is the responsibility of the 'occupier, not the property owner.' This situation has been highlighted by reports of moles invading Marsh Farm, the new home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on the estate, earlier this year. Residents suggest the problem extends to rats and mice, attracted by nearby crops and food sources.
Tenants at Sandringham properties are reportedly prohibited from keeping cats. This ban, which reportedly dates back to Queen Elizabeth II, is intended to protect wildlife, but one anonymous tenant told the Daily Mail that it allows vermin populations to increase unchecked. While traps can be used indoors, and poison bait stations are restricted outdoors due to risks to other wildlife like hedgehogs, residents feel limited in their ability to manage rodent numbers.
It is understood that no formal complaints about vermin have been lodged by tenants with the Sandringham Estate. While some reports suggest Queen Elizabeth II had an allergy to cats, other accounts indicate the cat ban was primarily implemented to safeguard young game birds such as pheasants and partridges.
Previous scrutiny has been placed on wildlife management practices at Sandringham. In 2020, Prince William faced calls regarding hunting and wildlife management shortly after becoming patron of the British Trust for Ornithology. This followed the discovery of a protected little owl killed in a trap set by gamekeepers on the 20,000-acre estate. The trap was reportedly used to control vermin like rats, which can prey on pheasant and partridge eggs.
In 2023, The Guardian reported on 18 suspected wildlife offense cases or alleged poison misuse incidents linked to the Royal estate and adjacent farmland over the preceding two decades. These included allegations involving rare birds of prey, and the disappearance of eastern England's last breeding female Montagu's harrier. Internal documents released under freedom of information legislation indicated that police and enforcement agencies had investigated the estate, and that the estate sometimes appeared to hinder investigations.
Natural England noted in 2016 that it could not investigate suspicious deaths of wood pigeons on the estate, as the area seemed to have been 'cleaned up' early one morning. In another instance, staff reportedly burned the body of a goshawk, a protected raptor, preventing an investigation into its cause of death. The estate has denied that it received lenient treatment from official agencies, with a spokesperson stating that it 'fully supports and cooperates with any investigation into alleged wildlife or pesticide incidents.' They added that most allegations were either unsubstantiated or resulted in no further action.
One case in 2006 led to a prosecution, where a Sandringham gamekeeper was fined for maiming a tawny owl in a trap. Other charges, including the incorrect use of rat poisons, were dropped.
Recently, a Command Pest Control van, which holds a Royal Warrant, was observed leaving Marsh Farm. The company specializes in removing moles, rats, mice, squirrels, and wasp nests, and advertises 'swift and humane' removal methods for creatures that can damage lawns and gardens.