This is very poor advice. Associate creditors should be included in IVA proposals. You can always discount them for dividend purposes, if there is a need to offer a higher dividend to the other creditors, but to exclude them is to make a false declaration of your liabilities which is an offence!
There are two different stages of voting for IVAs which include associated debts. Firstly - the usual 75% vote is taken, then a second vote is taken excluding the associated creditor votes at which a 50% majority must be achieved. This IP has effectively scuppered your chances of an IVA, and I suggest you have something to complain about.
Regards, Melanie Giles, Insolvency Practitioner for over 20 years.
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http://www.melaniegiles.com/ivaEnquiry.asp
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http://www.iva.com/iva_companies/IVA_Advice_Bureau.asp