Rocket Mortgage and its parent, Rocket Companies, are currently facing a new nationwide class-action lawsuit alleging an illegal “steering” scheme that pushed homebuyers into using Rocket’s mortgages and related services in violation of federal law, specifically the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA).
What the new lawsuit claims
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Three homebuyers filed a class-action case on January 26, 2026, in federal court in the Eastern District of Michigan against Rocket Companies, Rocket Mortgage, Rocket Homes, and Amrock/Rocket Close.
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The suit alleges Rocket ran a “pay-to-play” referral and lead program in which real estate agents (including those in networks tied to Rocket Homes and Redfin) were effectively required or heavily incentivized to steer clients to Rocket Mortgage loans and Amrock title services.
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Plaintiffs say this steering violated RESPA’s ban on kickbacks and unearned fees in real estate settlement services, because agents allegedly received or preserved valuable referrals and priority leads in exchange for funneling borrowers to Rocket.
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The complaint claims borrowers who came through Rocket’s referral network were given worse terms: higher interest rates and fees and fewer cost‑saving options than borrowers who did not come through that channel.
Link to earlier regulatory action
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The lawsuit leans heavily on a prior enforcement case filed in December 2024 by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) against Rocket Homes and associated brokerages, which alleged an unlawful kickback and steering scheme to Rocket Mortgage.
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CFPB alleged Rocket Homes gave “things of value” such as referrals and priority for future referrals to brokers and agents who steered borrowers to Rocket Mortgage and Amrock and discouraged consumers from comparing other lenders or learning about programs Rocket did not offer (like certain down-payment assistance and USDA loans).
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That CFPB case was later dropped in early 2025 after much of the agency was effectively shuttered, but plaintiffs now cite the underlying investigative findings as evidence of consumer harm and illegal steering.
What Rocket says in response
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Rocket denies the allegations and has called the new lawsuit a repeat of the CFPB’s earlier case, which it notes was dismissed, maintaining that its practices comply with RESPA and other applicable laws.
What this means for borrowers
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The class action seeks damages (including potentially treble damages under RESPA), disgorgement of profits from the alleged scheme, and court orders to stop the challenged steering practices.
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If you used Rocket Mortgage after being referred by an agent or through Rocket Homes/Redfin between roughly 2019 and 2025, you may fall within the proposed class definition if the court certifies it; the complaint and class definition details are in the publicly filed case documents.
If you tell me whether you got a Rocket loan and roughly when and how you were referred, I can point you to the most relevant public information about whether you might be affected.
