You shouldn’t need to rely on WeChat messages to help piece together a claim for almost $1 million in a property dispute. But in Ou v Wang [2026] QSC 168, the messages were a key part of the evidentiary puzzle in the dispute involving a St Lucia property, a Deed of Gift, and communications conducted largely over WeChat.
The seller said the arrangement was a property sale for $1.5 million. The transaction, however, was documented as a Deed of Gift and the property was transferred before the full purchase price was paid. The seller received about $600,000 from the buyer and her parents. When he later sought payment of the balance, the buyer argued that the property had been gifted, not sold, and that the amounts paid were loan monies, not part payment of the purchase price.
The Court considered whether the WeChat messages and surrounding conduct gave rise to a binding contract for the sale of the property. It found they did not. Important matters were left unresolved, including aspects of the payment arrangements and the fact that the property was transferred to a company rather than to the buyer personally.
That was not the end of the matter. The Court then looked closely at the WeChat messages, the assurances given, the payments made and the parties’ conduct after the transfer. It found that the seller had relied on assurances that he would be paid the $1.5 million purchase price, even though the documents described the transfer as a gift.
The Court:
- awarded the seller equitable compensation of $900,346 plus interest; and
- found that the purported gift was a sham arrangement intended to conceal the real transaction and reduce the stamp duty payable.
WeChat messages may be useful evidence, but they are not a substitute for a properly drafted contract, clear payment terms and settlement mechanics that protect the parties before title changes hands.
Although courts may look beyond the label on a document, there is real risk and cost associated with trying to structure a transaction in a way that does not reflect the actual intended agreement. This is especially important in related-party arrangements, family transactions and deals between people who know each other, where parties may be tempted to rely on trust, informal messages or documents that do not tell the whole story.
Whether you are buying, selling, transferring property between family members or related parties, or agreeing to payment arrangements outside a standard settlement, reach out to a member of our experienced property team before entering into an agreement or allowing a property to change hands.