WhatsApp Evidence for Small Claims in England and Wales
In England and Wales, small claims are heard under CPR Part 27. If you are relying on WhatsApp messages, the main question is how to present them clearly. This page sticks to what the official rules say and general good practice.
Not legal advice. This page is general information. Whether a court admits or relies on a chat is for the court; convokeep does not promise admission or any outcome. Ask a qualified lawyer about your case.
Do the strict rules of evidence apply in small claims?
CPR rule 27.8 says the strict rules of evidence do not apply to small claims hearings, and the court need not take evidence on oath (official text read 2026-10-29). Rule 27.8 also lets the court adopt any method of proceeding it considers fair. That does not mean anything is accepted: the court decides what to rely on.
Can I use WhatsApp messages?
Messages are commonly shown in small claims. What matters is that they are clear, complete enough to be read in context and honestly presented. A court may ask who wrote what and when.
How should I present them?
Export the chat, then make a dated, page-numbered copy of the relevant period rather than a stack of screenshots. Number the pages so you can say "page 4, 3:12 pm". Keep the original export and your phone.
What should I send the court and the other side?
Follow the directions you were given in your case. A court may direct documents to be uploaded by a set date. If the court has not given directions, ask the court office what it expects.
Does a hash help?
A SHA-256 hash lets you show later that your copy is unchanged since the export. It does not show nothing was deleted before the export. See what a hash proves.
Privacy
Reading the file, building the PDF and calculating hashes all happen in your browser. No chat or attachment is uploaded and there is no account. See the privacy policy and the disclaimer.
Related guides
- WhatsApp messages in landlord and tenant disputes
- PD27A and WhatsApp excerpts
- Export WhatsApp chat for submission
- Screenshots vs export
- Preparing chat evidence for your lawyer
- Small claims evidence checklist for chats
- Chat evidence for a tenancy deposit dispute
- Unpaid invoice chat evidence for a small claim
Ready to try it?
Drop your exported chat file on the convokeep app for a free preview. The first 3 pages are free (watermarked, no integrity page); saving the full PDF is a one-time paid feature. No chat or attachment is uploaded: the file is read in your browser. To check later that a file is unchanged, use the hash checker.
This document was generated locally in the user's browser; no content was uploaded.