On Your Behalf

On Your Behalf First Time Buyers Special, Presenter Anna Curran and a team of experts guide us through getting on the property ladder. From getting the mortgage approved to picking up the keys, Anna finds out all the tips and tricks to deal with deposits, mortgages and legalities of buying your first home. She hears from a first time buyer who swapped his rental accommodation for his perfect pad in his 50s. Kelli O’Connor Wilson talks about the mortgage application and getting the right deal for you. Solicitor Catherine Heyes answers questions about the legal process. Glynn Hobson has the latest if you choose Co-ownership and Housing Rights will talk about the rent to buying transition and the pitfalls you need to be aware of if you choose to buy.

Motoring special – our expert panel will answer questions on everything from buying second hand to repair costs and selecting a garage. Are your tyres costing you a fortune because they’re underinflated? Stuart Lovatt from TyreSafe and Sophie Lyden aka ‘Tyre lady’ get you road worthy. We help a car owner who was being asked to pay a toll road charge for a trip he didn’t make. Presenter Anna Curran swaps four wheels for two and hears from charity Life Cycles who are helping people get back on their bikes. Electric scooters, Ebikes and off-road vehicles, Solicitor Cormac Keenan with advice on where you stand legally.

Holiday rights, flight changes and insurance - Travel experts Simon Calder and Angela Taylor share advice and answer questions. Summer is a popular time for house moves. Whether you are a first time buyer or thinking of selling up – Solicitor Simon Murray is in studio with what you need to know on the legals and costs. We help a listener with a refund after she was stuck due to a cancelled flight on her way back from a pilgrimage and we hear about how a cancelled flight has meant a family’s dream cruise is costing more than they bargained for.

Holidays and property moves.

Presenter Anna Curran chats to parents about the expense of childcare during school holidays and finds out what help is there, if any? The latest on the Aer Lingus pilot strikes, how travellers will be impacted. Preparing for the summer holidays, Michelle Kelly from the Consumer Council is in studio with tips. Welfare and Benefits – Expert Rachael Jeffers is in studio to answer your questions. The pitfalls of shopping online - we help a listener who struggles to get a refund from an online clothing shop.

Farewell from Linda after 29 years of championing consumers. Catching up with old friends and long-time contributors. In her final programme, consumer champion Linda McAuley catches up with some old friends and long-time contributors to find out what’s changed in the world of consumer affairs and what’s stayed the same. She celebrates the listeners who have been at the heart of the programme for nearly 29 years with input from A Perforated Ulster, and a fond farewell from On Your Behalf superfan Dan Gordon.

This week we look at Disability rights and wrongs because over the decades we’ve covered all sorts of issues from travel rights and responsibilities, to facilities and support for autistic children and how passengers and their guide dogs and people who use wheel chairs are treated. Agnes Lunny from Positive Futures and Nuala Tolman from Disability Action are in the studio. Funerals – one listener alerted us to how heartless scamsters are using death notices to con people into making a donation – a donation that goes straight into the fraudsters' pockets We're also talking about safe ways to pay – And asking why PayPal refused to refund a listener when the boots he'd ordered didn't arrive. Consumer Expert Martyn James helps us stay safe online. And the student who’s been paying O2 for two phones - when she only has one! Linda also travels to Magherafelt to meet the Mid Ulster volunteers who tell her why they do it and encourage her to join them!

Give a little back – Linda meets the volunteer drivers helping children in the care system. Estate management, wills and power of attorney - Solicitor Tony Caher is in studio to answer your questions. Housing Rights celebrates 60 years but what's changed and what's next? We help one listener who was shocked by how Easyjet Holidays responded to a family tragedy and the cruise that ended up in hospital and delays with the travel insurance.

£25 Million for childcare but that's a fraction of the £400 million campaigners say is needed. With school holidays approaching many parents may face childcare debt over the summer. Sinead Campbell from Advice NI and Aoife Hamilton from Employers for Childcare are in the studio... Preparing for retirement - part 2 of our series for the third age. Janine Maher and Nigel Kerns from Money and Pensions Service join Linda to answer questions. We also help a listener who was told that his insurance only covered one ear and it wasn't the one with the lost hearing aid! And its active travel month - time to get on your bike or at least a bus or train!

Electric Ireland pulls out of the domestic market in Northern Ireland - What does it mean for Consumers? The march of AI continues - this time the bots are taking over the PR Industry! The Competition and Markets authority tell us why filling up the tank on your car has been getting more expensive over the last few years, why Disability Benefits may be under threat from the government, the listener whose boots weren't made for walking - or anything else - because they never turned up and how safe is your pre-paid funeral plan?

Linda is joined by Independent Travel Editor Simon Calder and Michelle Kelly from the Consumer Council to discuss consumer rights and top tips for stress free travel. What happens when you're blind and travelling with a guide dog. Andrew McConnell from CAA explains what the law says. Hiring a car - how to avoid the pitfalls and not end up with unwelcome extras. We hear from one young woman who told Disney her fiance had died early on the morning of their special trip and that's why she hadn't given them 72 hours cancellation notice. Disney refused to budge on a refund! As Great Victoria Street railway station closes in just a matter of days what happens to schools and commuters? And the £340 million question - Is the new Grand Centra Station on track to open this autumn?

Ninety percent of us are worried about the cost of essentials - food, fuel, shelter and utilities. The consumer council share some tips on how to make your money go further. Carers NI tells us that this week’s Stormont budget could be catastrophic for unpaid Carers. Craig Harrison is in the studio with Linda to explain why. Next week is a Bank Holiday weekend which is always a good time for DIY but if your skills are lacking could Bryson House and its Handyman scheme help out? And lightning strikes twice for one listener's BT line while another isn't yodelling when his hiking boots fail to arrive!

This week everything you ever wanted to know about your Rates bill but were afraid to ask. Sharon Magee, Chief Executive at Land & Property Services, explains all. If you are struggling to pay your rates bill there is help available. Matt Cole from Advice NI joins Linda in the studio. Stormont debates scrapping the Two Child limit for benefits but worries about the cost. Andy McClenaghan from the Cliff Edge coalition tells Linda that the money should be seen as an investment to combat child poverty. And Parenting NI is rebranding ....What will Parenting Focus do differently – Muriel Bailey explains the new direction. And finally waiting lists for MOT's that caused breakdown assistance problems for many Radio Ulster listeners but the AA and RAC have now agreed to help stranded drivers here temporarily.

There is still no sign of a Childcare strategy for Northern Ireland and we receive less government support for parents than anywhere else in the UK. Linda speaks to Casey McGivern from Melted Parents and Aoife Hamilton from Employers for Childcare about how parents are coping. Do you know how to fill in a CV or job application? Consultant Helen Todd teaches Linda her to beat the robots and get to the interview stage. And Linda talks to Laura Dowie from Timely Careers about the help and support available for those going back to work or changing career. Finally your money may be safe in the Bank but can you get it out when you want? - not according to our listener John who is not at all happy. We discover how new Financial regulations can make it tricky to withdraw cash.

Simon Murray from The Law Society gives advice for people living in apartments and town houses that have communal areas like car parks and green areas. These are normally maintained by a management company but what happens if the company goes bust? Listener Tom encountered just such a problem when he came to sell his house. Carers in England, Scotland and Wales are going to be entitled to 5 days unpaid leave from their employers under a new law, but not in Northern Ireland. We hear from carer Natasha about how her job is a lifeline for her to take a break from the pressures of caring for her two children and Craig Harrison from Carers NI calls for the legislation to be introduced here. And, are you going to an EU country on holiday this year? Make sure you check your passport as it is no longer possible to enter the EU if your passport was issued less than 10 years from the date you enter the country. The price of a UK passport is also going up next week on Thursday 11 April. Money Saving Expert’s Peter Lekarski has the details.

On the programme this week - Everything you ever wanted to know about cars but were afraid to ask! Consumer guru and car aficianado Jimmy Hughes and Motor Ombudsman Bill Fennell talk to Linda about everything from wear and tear to finance, leasing and breakdowns. Have you had a bad experience with the health service but don’t know what to do? Linda goes to the Helplines NI annual awareness day and speaks to Una McKernon from the Patient Client Council about their role in fixing problems. We also visit the All Ireland Sustainability conference and find out why the Competition and Markets Authority are looking at greenwashing! And while Jimmy is here we also look at the tale of Goldilocks and the 3 mattresses. Would it be the soft, the medium or the firm that was just right!

The workplace has changed forever and employers now have to offer flexible working as part of the job. But are a new generation of workers missing out by working from home? Emily and Martin came to On Your Behalf when Amazon said the One Time Code had been scanned and therefore they'd got their orders. Spoilers - they didn’t, but things changed once we got involved. Easter Travel - The CAA tell us the pitfalls to avoid! The strange case of HMRC's helpline. On Tuesday it was being shut down for 6 months but the next day that decision was reversed. Linda talks to Tax expert Adrian Huston. Is the future of tax online? And Challenging Ageism - a fifth of older people feel they're treated differently because of their age. Eddie Lynch Commissioner for Older People talks to Linda about their latest research.

This week we look at the cost of living. Research from the Consumer Council shows that half of Northern Ireland households have less than £90 per week after their essential spending costs. Was there any help in the budget? is there any help coming from Stormont? Benefits Adviser Rachel Jeffers is in the studio. The cost of mobile phone and broadband contracts are about to rise mid contract but there are ways skip those price hikes and U Switch will tell us how. We're looking at Helplines - many and varied with Clodagh Crowe and Claire O’Prey ahead of the annual Helplines NI gathering. Last week we talked about the rights to property and finances for cohabiting couples when relationships break down. This week we're looking at alternative resolutions with Joan Davis from Family Mediation NI.

Listener Hazel tells Linda McAuley about the stress of struggling to get an MOT test slot booked. And chief executive of DVA, Jeremy Logan, explains how his organisation is continuing to increase test capacity, and how a car owner can book a last minute test to get the MOT they'll need if their car tax is up for renewal. A nurse explains why her caring responsibilities at home meant she had to give up up work after 36 years: a recent report suggests she is not alone with one in four women cutting their hours to accommodate caring responsibilities and one in three women giving up work early. People with disabilities face challenges getting into work: Linda hears about support on offer from the NOW Group and chats to three people attending an event to find out about options and opportunities to get help and support into employment. And being safe in your home isn't just about being safe from fire, from electrical faults, and your personal safety. It's also about staying safe on your devices and online activity. You can contact the programme at any time on oyb@bbc.co.uk

Do employers write off the over 60s who still want to work?