Utility Direct Debit issues

Fred56

Hi, sorry if this is a common question but;

Is it safe to go back to DD payment of gas and electric? Have the utilities stopped overbilling?

I ask becasue it looks like time to switch and the DD deals are better but a few years ago we ditched DD when BG increased our DD massively. We were buring about £700 worth of gas a year and paying £75 a month and started when we moved in during the May of 2007. BG decided to up the DD to over £190 per month which meant they would get £2300 pa rather than £900 pa. We asked them to review it and after some arguing they proposed £110 per month. We declined and went over to pay on receipt of bill. We don't really want to save up with a utility company, the banks are bad enough.

So, have they stopped this kind of scam or do we stick with pay-on bill?