S'porean tailor alleged he paid S$29,430 for sublet rental but did not get the space, files police reports

[Editor's note: This article has been updated since publication.]

Dylan Ang, 30, a Singaporean tailor and small business owner, has lodged police reports against Sam Chua, 37, the founder of WW Lab Pte. Ltd.

The dispute stems from an alleged sub-lease rental agreement at an 18 Robinson Road unit.

Alleged that he paid in good faith, yet space was not handed over

In an Instagram post, Ang, the founder of Three Buttons, a bespoke suit tailoring business, alleged that he "paid S$29,430 in good faith, yet the space was never handed over".

Ang alleged that he had received written confirmation from the landlord that Chua did not have a lease for the unit that was promised, nor had she received formal approval to sublet the unit.

 

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Alleged subletting rental agreement

Responding to queries from Mothership, Ang claimed that Three Buttons entered the subletting agreement on May 30, 2025, when the first payment was made.

According to WhatsApp messages provided by Ang, Chua supposedly sought approval from the landlord as early as May 21, 2025.

It was supposed to commence on Jun. 1, 2025 and end on Jun. 30, 2027.

According to the agreement, titled "Space Lease Agreement" seen by Mothership, the premises totalled 678 square feet.

Here is a picture of the space.

Unit not handed over

However, Ang alleged that the unit was not handed to him despite the payments.

When Ang asked about the clearing of the unit on Jun. 11 and 12, 2025, he was purportedly not given a clear answer.

Ang also alleged that Chua's adjacent unit was taken back on Jul. 31, 2025, but she still asked Ang for rent for August, which he paid.

Chua allegedly terminated contract

Chua allegedly requested rental payment on Aug. 2 and 4, which Ang paid on Aug. 7.

Ang also informed Chua that contractors would enter the unit to take measurements on Aug. 8.

However, on Aug. 9, Chua cancelled the agreement between Three Buttons and WW Lab.

In Chua's email to Ang, seen by Mothership, she said: "There were late charges incurred as per the lease terms, and several follow-ups on timelines and next steps were not addressed."

"Over the past weeks, the lack of timely responses and delays have directly impacted my operational commitments including matters with my landlord."

Chua said that she "reviewed the feasibility of this arrangement" and "decided that we will not be proceeding with the residency at Waga Waga HQ".

In her email, Chua added: "A final statement outlining applicable deductions and the refundable balance of your deposit will follow shortly."

Ang lodged two police reports

Ang alleged that in total, the S$29,430, which comprised "two months’ deposit, the first and second months’ rent, as well as a GST charge applied to the deposit", has yet to be refunded.

Ang lodged two police reports on Oct. 21 and Dec. 2, respectively.

Ang added that Three Buttons is in the process of preparing for legal proceedings in the coming weeks, and said he hoped his experience highlighted the importance of clarity, transparency and proper approvals in commercial leasing arrangements.

WW Lab's statement

In a statement to Mothership, a spokesperson for WW Lab said:

"As small business owners, we naturally want to support one another.

I genuinely understood the hardships Dylan was facing when his investors pulled out, which is why I extended significant help, offered multiple concessions, and met with him in person to find a workable path forward."

The spokesperson added: "A full Statement of Accounts was issued to Three Buttons in November 2025 outlining all liabilities, and a consolidated evidential bundle was provided directly to Ang in December 2025."

The spokesperson noted, "It is deeply disheartening that my willingness to help has been met with destructive public outbursts.

"By tagging my specific handles and naming me and my other business affiliations, Dylan has chosen to target me personally to exert unwarranted pressure regarding a commercial dispute. "

The spokesperson added, "True business integrity means owning up to your own mistakes and being accountable for your actions, rather than acting out and attempting to damage the livelihoods of those who tried to help you."

WW Lab's account

WW Lab said they did not offer a 'sublease' agreement.

Instead, WW Lab claims that Three Buttons was allegedly offered a 'Full Residency Access' membership into a curated collective workspace.

They also said the communication breakdown was allegedly due to "non-performance and changing scopes" on Three Buttons' end.

They claimed Ang had allegedly promised to move his operations into the unit by July, but that his initial partners and investors pulled out.

These purportedly led to severe delays, and continuous non-performance ultimately caused the arrangement to deteriorate.

However, Ang disputes the claim relating to the investors, and said that "no such thing happened".

Mothership has reached out to Chua for additional information and comment.

Top photo from Dylan Ang