For concerning anything which occurs without deceit or wrong on the part of the vendor, the vendor is secure.

Explanation

(English-origin maxim.) A seller who acts without deceit or wrongdoing is not liable for defects unknown to him — the risk of latent defects falls on the buyer absent fraud or express warranty.

Where this applies

• A buyer purchases a used car that later develops engine trouble from a pre-existing defect the seller genuinely didn't know about — without fraud or an express warranty, the seller is not liable.
• A farmer sells a cow that appears healthy but turns out to be carrying a disease neither party could have detected — absent deceit, the risk of the hidden condition falls on the buyer.
• A homeowner sells a house with an undiscovered termite problem that neither she nor her inspector caught — since she acted without fraud, she is not liable for the latent defect.