An independent regulatory commission will start on May 3 to hear seven charges against Queens Park Rangers that could see the Championship leaders docked points.

A verdict from the commission will be due on Friday, May 6 – the day before the regular Championship season fixtures are completed.

Rangers, nine points clear at the summit, could face a points deduction after being accused of signing �3.5m Argentine midfielder Alejandro Faurlin on a four-year deal from Institute in July 2009, but allowing an unnamed third party to keep a stake in his economic rights.

QPR and ex-chairman Gianni Paladini have also been charged with providing false information when Faurlin was originally registered, as well as paying an unauthorised agent as part of the player's arrival.

Football League officials passed the discovery of third party involvement on to the FA in September, and they allowed QPR to buy out those rights a month later, enabling Faurlin to continue playing. However, further FA charges relate to concealing the full details of his contract and ownership when QPR subsequently came to register the player and ensure all was satisfactorily rectified. The case will be the first time the FA's third party ownership rights have been tested.

Faurlin scored in Rangers' 3-0 home win over relegation-threatened Sheffield United on Monday night.