Home Events & Training Featured Articles Directory Guides Magazines Case Law

Jamie Willsdon

Jamie Willsdon

Future Group | Group Director

Biography

Jamie Willsdon is a co-founder of Future Group, a specialist contractor delivering practical, sustainable solutions for block and estate managers in the leasehold sector. With decades of hands-on experience in electrical engineering, he has a deep understanding of the challenges teams face on-site and has helped oversee the growth of six specialist divisions, giving him the expertise to lead complex projects from the ground up.

Jamie now leads the company’s EV division, Future EV Connected, offering a comprehensive service for residential blocks - from planning and design to installation, funding support, and ongoing maintenance of EV charging points. His extensive background in energy-saving solutions, renewables, and EV charging ensures that Future EV Connected delivers sustainable and compliant infrastructure tailored to the needs of property managers and leaseholders.

What’s the real cost of block lighting?

Wondering why the energy bills for the blocks you manage are so high? Could lighting be the problem, asks Jamie Willsdon. Have you ever taken a closer look at the way the energy bills for the blocks you manage are split? If not, you could be in for a shock. More than 70% of the charges for a typical residential block could be accounted for by the lighting alone. Many blocks around the country have outdated lighting systems and a good proportion of these have communal lighting turned on all day and night,

LED warranties: why pay more?

Where LED lighting is concerned, all warranties are not created equal. There are as many different guarantees on the market as there are manufacturers out there. With bold claims being made that these lights will virtually last a lifetime, you could be forgiven for thinking that the warranties they come with will be equally durable. But, as block managers are finding to their cost, this is not necessarily the case. Two particular issues are of concern to end users when it comes to LED lighting. First, how

Effective Emergency Lighting

How hard do you imagine it would be to find your way out of your block in the dark if the lights had failed? Emergency lighting saves lives. Anyone living in a flat hopes they will never need to rely on it but when a major incident does occur, effective, well maintained lighting and signage is vital. In an article on emergency lighting regulation published earlier this year, I wrote: “Imagine how much more serious the worst-case scenario could become if your system is poorly maintained and doesn’t work pr

Don’t be in the dark about emergency lighting

Emergency lighting, like terrorism insurance or the airbag in your car, is something that we all hope we will never need. Thankfully, in most blocks it is infrequently – if ever – used, so this aspect of block lighting isn’t always uppermost in block managers or their residents’ minds. An understandable but potentially dangerous attitude and one that, as lighting consultants, we are working to change. If there were to be a major incident at your block and residents were plunged into darkness the emergency

ADVERTORIAL: Lighting car parks is a bright idea

With the trend towards building luxury apartment blocks showing no sign of slowing down, in future more and more flat owners and renters are likely to be parking their cars in underground car parks. If you manage a block with one of these on-site, it may not always be uppermost in your mind. Rather than being considered an integral part of the common areas, all too often car parks are simply regarded as a convenient add-on for residents. This attitude may be exacerbated by the fact that car parks often

INSTALL NOW, PAY LATER

Service Charges are a key area of friction between residents and property managers, and paying for unexpected repairs or maintenance can be a thorny issue for flat owners. Most well-managed blocks have reserves to call on when major refurbishment or repairs are needed, but for those unable to build up suitable funds – and obsolete equipment urgently needs replacing – residents are expected to put their hands in their pockets and split the cost. Imagine this scenario. You live in a small block of six flats

What’s the problem with block lighting?

Picture the scene – a new development is ready for sale and one of the first prospective buyers turns up in the evening to view. It’s an impressive sight; everything is brand new and the areas around the common walkways and drive glitter with lights, bathing everything in a comforting and reassuring glow. A well-appointed block of flats has been completed and is ready for new residents. But come back a year later, and things are very different. Many of the lights have stopped working, giving the outsi

Understanding Block Lighting

Every year more blocks appear on the skyline. Apartment living is the future for many, especially Londoners, and the quality of design has lead to some really exciting living spaces. However, isn’t it time to overhaul both strategies and attitudes towards block lighting. It may sound like a minor aspect, in the architectural game plan, until something goes wrong, then block managers have to deal with the consequences. Time and again poorly specified fittings and controls installed by developers fail far t

Q&A - Nuisance Lighting

QUESTION My landlord has placed an outside light 4 ft from my bedroom window, and it is so bright and intrusive. There are 2 lights there one opposite each other. It is only the one that shines directly into my bedroom that is difficult. It is the only one light out of 6 that is intrusive. The remaining omit sufficient light to make the area safe in the dark. Can I quote the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 re Statutory nuisance lighting. I live on a Thames mooring of 6 boats and 4 have bou

How well is your block lighting performing?

Lighting maintenance is a way to cut costs. It also protects assets and helps remain compliant. It’s an integral part of any block manager’s modus operandi and can make a profound difference to block lighting in particular. It’s obvious that regular checks, attending to problems as they arise and generally ensuring good housekeeping is uppermost on any ‘to do’ list, and is essential to proactive management. If a block manager has reliable teams, the job of maintaining any premises becomes a whole lot ea

© 2026 News On The Block. All rights reserved.

News on the Block is a trading name of Premier Property Media Ltd.

We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using our site you consent cookies.