I was with British Gas for many years and always paid by monthly direct debit. Every year I haggled with them when they increased their prices. A young couple moved in next door and told me that they used a company called First Utility and couldn't be beaten, and so I called them. My monthly direct debit now, 3 years later, is still not as high as I was paying to British Gas. First Utility send me an email at the beginning of each month, asking me to provide a meter reading and they contact me to let me know if my usage has been extra high and whether that will exceed their annual usage forecast. I pay £41.00 per month for both gas and electricity and am very satisfied with them.