LendingTree sues Mortech for Google’s plans to offer mortgage quotes

As Google revealed its plans to enter mortgage quotes search market a company that has been working in the industry for some time filed a lawsuit related to the search giant’s move. Google is allegedly in talks with Mortech, a provider of technology that helps automate lender offer pricing. Mortech already supplies this pricing engine technology to LendingTree.

LendingTree, which offers consumers conditional loan offers as well as mortgage quotes, sued Mortech over alleged contract violations. In a statement, LendingTree explained that it called in its lawyers after failing to resolve the case amicably. The lawsuit seeks a preliminary injunction preventing Mortech from assisting Google.

September 2 was scheduled for the hearing before the US District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. Google is allegedly poised to offer loan quotes online almost immediately.

Google, which is not a party to the suit, said it was looking into the competitive mortgage quotes business, at least in the US, without giving too much away about its product plans.