The thing in my flat keeps moving my stuff and I'm starting to get annoyed

Right, this has been happening for about three months now (started in late August). I live in a one-bedroom flat in Birmingham, rented, nothing special about it as far as I know. Nothing dramatic - I'm not claiming it's a poltergeist throwing furniture around. Just consistent, low-level nonsense.

Examples: I'll set my keys on the kitchen counter, go to the bedroom for five minutes, come back and they're on the dining table. My coffee mug disappears and turns up in the bathroom cabinet. Not where I'd normally put it. My laptop charger keeps unplugging itself from the wall socket even though it's a tight fit. Sometimes I hear footsteps at night from the other room when I know I'm alone. Nothing threatening, just... present.

I've checked for logical explanations. Mice? No droppings, no damage. Faulty wiring? Electrician says everything's fine. Flatmate? I live alone, verified with the landlord. I'm not on any medication that would cause confusion. I sleep normally (mostly).

The weird thing is, it doesn't feel malicious. If anything it feels almost playful or attention-seeking? I've tried asking out loud if anyone's there, speaking respectfully, leaving objects out deliberately. Nothing changes. It's been three months of this and honestly I'm more baffled than scared. Has anyone experienced something similar?

This is classic poltergeist activity, even if it seems mild. The pattern of object displacement, the playful nature - that matches a lot of documented cases. Have you done any research into the flat's history? Previous tenants, anything traumatic happen there? Sometimes these things are connected to a location rather than a person.

Before you assume haunting, have you ruled out carbon monoxide? I know it sounds like a boring answer, but that can cause memory gaps and sensations of presence. Get a detector, seriously. It's cheap and it rules out something genuinely dangerous.

I've tried asking out loud if anyone's there, speaking respectfully, leaving objects out deliberately.

Sounds like you've got a polite ghost mate. Have you considered just cohabiting with it? If it's not aggressive and you're not in danger, honestly some people just accept it and move on. That said, if it's causing you distress, there are people who do cleansings. DM me if you want recommendations in the Birmingham area.

Keep a log of when things move. Dates, times, what moved, anything else that was happening. Three months of data could show a pattern. Sometimes they're tied to lunar cycles or specific times of day. Worth documenting properly.

The playful aspect is interesting. Have you tried playing music it might enjoy? Genuinely. Some residual hauntings respond to classical music or period-appropriate songs. Could be worth experimenting with.