Debt Letter Conundrum

etech

We have received a debt letter addressed to our house, in my wifes sisters name, she has never lived here.

The sister has been an in patient at a Section 1 mental care institution since August 2016 and is considered not to have capacity. So far as we know she has not been able to make any purchases in this time. Her only income is in benefits which are paid direct to the institution for her keep.

Unfortunately my wife opened the letter,,  whereas what we should have done was return to sender unopened.

Should we -

Wait for the inevitable next letter and return that unopened "not at this address"
or
Should we call the debt company and attempt to convince them they are wasting there time (not here, not capable or debt over 6 years old)
or
Any better suggestions

MorningcoffeeIV

Just return any and all letters to sender, including the opened one.

MalMonroe

Hi, I agree with MorningcoffeeIV. 

Debt collectors will try to contact any family members if they are unable to contact the person who owes money. It's taken them a long time to get around to contacting your wife though. 

My brother once had debt collectors chasing him and unbeknownst to me, he had previously put my name and address somewhere on some contact list. He hasn't lived at the same address as me since we were children.

They phoned me instead of writing and asked me where he was. I said that we had lost touch and I hadn't seen him for years. 

Blood and water and all that.

Thankfully afterwards he did manage to get into a solvent state and is still there. 

Send them back, it's not your debt and your sister-in-law is too ill - although you don't have to tell them anything.

sourcrates

Follow above advice, do not get involved with someone else's debt problems.

Not your debt, not your problem.

etech

Thanks all,

Confirms my leaning to not giving the opportunity to somehow, unwittingly getting hooked by this fishing trip.