The division of accounts is like this:
15-80–00 - the original Child & Co sort code for all customers, old money would still have it today; now it is only used for “personal” customers
16-00-80 - the Child & Co Private Banking sort code, for proper big money clients
16-00-11 - “RBS Fleet Street”, the Child & Co building, but a totally standard RBS sort code with totally standard products
16-00-38 - the original Drummonds sort code, the same story as with Child & Co
16-00-50 - the Drummonds Private Banking sort code
As far as I know, there is no RBS bog-standard sort code for the Drummonds branch.
16-19-26 - Holt’s Military Banking, Farnborough
There is also a separate sort code for NatWest at the same building, which I think is 60-08-13. It might be 60-15-42.
Anyway, that illustrates the point that they divide up their customers and sometimes give the same branch multiple sort codes to do so.
4 Likes
Ah. That’s interesting, thanks, @Seb
I was indeed, missing something.
1 Like
Just to say on this, as far as I know this is a unique branch at it is effectively both an RBS and a NatWest at the same time.
Holt’s run on RBS systems, like Child & Co.
NatWest obviously use their own systems.
So it’s a dual branch.
On Google Maps the branch is called “Natwest Farnborough & RBS Holt’s Military Banking”.
3 Likes
Well if you can still get child and co applying for the account I would like too.
2 Likes
I’m still trying to determine at which point during the process you get to select the branch sort code. I very much want to add one of these cards to my collection too.
3 Likes
If you do can you let me know as I would like too apply for child and co as well.
1 Like
It’s pretty cool even just to have the nice card and chequebook.
The card also comes on a letter branded RBS Premier, so on some level your account may be given premier service (I believe this is because Child & Co, Drummonds, etc all come under the umbrella of RBS Premier).
Some people have also been contacted and invited into the branch to discuss their needs, possibly if RBS consider that they may be worth upgrading to full-on private customers. I believe they refer you to Coutts for bespoke investment advice if you have millions, but for under that level Child & Co can provide their own private service from the Fleet Street branch. There are some images of the branch on the internet from their refurbishment about 5 years ago, it looks very nice inside (I’ve never been in myself, yet).
I did once get phoned by a private banker, which was very surprising, to ask me if I wanted to talk about my finances, but I missed the call and they left a message. It was years ago now, and I never called back (perhaps I should have done).
So I think @Graham is not quite right that the special sort code gives you a normal RBS account, the RBS Fleet Street one does but there do seem to be some perks to having any Child & Co sort code at all.
4 Likes
You’re absolutely right. It just goes to show what you can learn from colleagues who know. 
3 Likes
Thanks for being so gracious.
In fairness to you, this is all quite opaque stuff which is rarely, if ever, openly discussed.
I’ve mainly pieced together my own understanding from multiple old threads on the MSE forums and a little bit from my own personal experience.
2 Likes
Which begs the question, what would happen if I attempt to open one of the other accounts (other than 15.80.00)?
(Not rhetorical, by the way 
)…
1 Like
Well, I honestly don’t know!
I’ve opened 15-80-00 (Child & Co) and 16-00-38 (Drummonds) myself.
I’ve never tried the others, but I imagine they’d be blocked. If you did manage to get them opened, I assume they would downgrade you shortly afterwards - and I didn’t ever want to poke the bear myself, being perfectly happy with the accounts I had and fearing a ban or closure of all existing accounts in the Group if they cottoned on to any messing about.
And how do these two differ as you see them?
1 Like
Child & Co you get a chequebook and card with branding.
Drummonds give you a branded chequebook, but a normal RBS debit card.
Both, as you probably know, are accessed through the RBS app and online banking.
Paper statements for both are branded.
Online statements for both are not.
2 Likes
Wow, that’s the form used back when I applied (probably 5 years ago, maybe 6)!
2 Likes
Application submitted! Says they’ll be in contact for more information! Likely to provide ID.
Hope that link helps you get one of these too @Gallifreyangirl
3 Likes
From memory, they try to verify you via credit reference agencies and if that fails they will ask you to upload documents.
They will most likely just open the account for you, and the first you will know about it is when you get an account opening letter in the post.
The letter will confirm the branch and also your account details, it will probably call it “CHILDS BRANCH”. That’s when you will know for sure!
2 Likes
The new form I was using the other day auto did this during the application, so shouldn’t be any issues on that front, although the old does ask for slightly different information, so we’ll see. I’ll keep folks posted on here anyway!
I’ve been credit checked by RBS about 4 times this week now, so my credit score will no doubt tank next month! 
hope the Apple Card is at least a few months away, so it has time to recover.
Happy to make that sacrifice to add this to my collection though, and to help anyone else who finds this thread apply for one!
3 Likes
Yes, I think the new form has a credit check integrated into it and a flow following that.
From memory, the old form only seemed to gather information and then they would run the credit check at the end, once you had clicked submit.
There is then a DigiDocs service to upload ID if required, but they will email you later if it is.
1 Like
Not for much longer. NatWest sold it recently and it’s banking customers will be merged into its other brands.
1 Like
I thought that was just the investment part?
Whereas current accounts and other banking was planned to continue?
Edit: I re-read it more closely, looks like that is the case but part of the sale is the Adam name, clients will have their accounts rebranded as Coutts.
1 Like
