Who put that door handle there!

We were having a discussion in the third team about what happens if the squash ball hits the door edge, or the door handle, and does something funny that means the player misses their shot. Is this automatically a let?

The answer seems to be no - you just have to play on. Whatever strange bits there are in the court you just have to put up with them since they are just part of the playing surface. This includes anything that does not change in the course of a rally. So that covers the door handle, the door edge, or even holes in the plaster or floor. It also covers the door handle not put back into place properly. If the ball hits any such irregularity then the rally just continues and it is the luck of the bounce which of the players gets the advantage.

There are some exeptions to this.

Firstly if the ball hits anything left on court by one of the players then it is a let. (But the rules say you are not supposed to bring anything onto the court in fact - not even if you put it down by the tin at the front.)

Secondly if the ball actually becomes stuck in a crevice or hole - then it is a let.

Thirdly, I think, if something changes during the rally and then the ball hits it then it is also a let. This change in conditions rule is most often used to covers things like the lights going off or flickering off when you were going for your shot. But it will also cover the case that there is a loose floorboard or door and one player dislodges it or partly opens the door by colliding with it. And then the ball hits it.

So look closely at that court you are on during the warm-up. Whatever you see is what you have to cope with for the whole match! You can ask for a let when the ball is sent ricocheting off - but the rule is that it is NO LET!.