Troubles at Manchester tech pioneer Chatloop appear to be deepening, with Prolific North uncovering five court judgments totalling more than £150,000 against the company this year.
Earlier this week, Prolific North reported that the company – which once promised to “revolutionise” social media – is facing a string of employment tribunal claims from former staff who say they are owed around £250,000, alongside allegations about its workplace culture.
As well as facing a series of tribunal cases, records seen by Prolific North also show Chatloop has had five county court judgments (CCJs) made against it in 2025. According to documents, none of them are currently recorded as paid.
They include a January judgment for £68,337 and the most recent, on 4 July, for £10,455. Three further judgments were issued in February, April and June, together exceeding £70,000. In total, the rulings amount to £150,708.
A county court judgment is a court order registered against an individual or company that has failed to repay money owed. If not paid, a CCJ can be enforced through measures such as bailiffs, charging orders, or High Court enforcement, and can damage a company’s ability to borrow, trade, or secure investment.
The new revelations raise fresh questions about Chatloop, founded by Manchester entrepreneur Andrew Barlow. Barlow strongly denies any wrongdoing and has previously emphasised that all employment matters are being handled through the “proper legal and governance processes”.
READ MORE: Wegovy and Mounjaro surge sees PR agency land new brief amid UK weight loss frenzy
Today Mr Barlow said he could not comment on ongoing or resolved disputes but said Chatloop has “strengthened governance and financial management over the past year and continue to refine and improve how we operate.”
He added: “The wider market remains challenging, but our business is resilient. We continue to grow, deliver for customers, and improve the way we work.
“We are proud of the progress being made and the culture we are building. I remain fully engaged as CEO, focused on momentum and long-term value creation for customers, partners, and shareholders, regardless of location.”
Chatloop, which set out to change how users share content online by letting people “loop” friends into any website, raised £2.1m in seed funding and was one of the few UK apps awarded default browser status by Apple. It was named on Prolific North’s Tech Companies to Watch list in 2023 and featured in this year’s GM Rising Stars of Business – Ones to Watch.
Tribunal documents show former employees have successfully claimed for unfair dismissal, unpaid wages, holiday pay and commission. One employee secured a judgment in June for unfair dismissal and breach of contract relating to redundancy, notice and holiday pay. A remedy hearing is scheduled for October to determine how much the claimant is owed.
Another former employee won a separate tribunal in May for unfair dismissal and £13,955.65 in unpaid wages, commission and holiday pay. According to the judgment, Chatloop “failed to present a valid response” to the claims.
Another tribunal is due to be heard this month involving several former employees who say they were not paid over two months and are seeking unpaid wages, notice, holiday pay and interest.
Despite the disputes and unpaid court orders, Chatloop continues to advertise for new roles, including a finance manager and a customer success specialist, as listed on its website as recently as last week.
