I got a text from a tenant an hour ago stating that said she moved out of the single family house she was renting from me.

I tried calling to see when we can meet and I can get the keys, but, she will not answer my phone calls.

When can I legally go into the house? Does the text message give me the right to go into the house?

When can I change the locks?

She has not paid this month's rent.

Is there any reason to file an unlawful detainer?

I will assume that a text notice is NOT legal service of notice in your state. Therefore, I would guess that the text notice is NOT sufficient notice of vacation for you to take back possession.

But it is sufficient reason for you to post notice of intent to enter, and to enter and inspect if the tenant is indeed gone. If yes, then you can probably change the locks and sue for unpaid rent.

If she is gone, then there is no reason to sue for UD in order to get back possession.

Well you may want to check out the statutes in your state, but I would take that as notice of move out if it were me.

Electronic communication is admissible in VA. So email is definitely good, text probably.

I would deliver notice that you received the text, the property appears abandoned, and give a deadline to make a reply to you if it is not. Also ask for the forwarding address where you will send the deposit refund - to encourage one sort of written reply, to confirm everything. See if that gets forwarded to them.

If it is returned to you, or you get no response, I would post 24 hour notice to enter on the door, then enter - taking lot of pictures before touching anything. Clean up, send deposit accounting, ad re-rent. You may find the key on the counter, hopefully

By this month, do you mean rent for MAY has not been paid? If that is the case then you must have already filed for U.D - right? So follow through on that to get a judgement.

No question. I would enter very first thing in the morning. Of course I would try the door bell a number of time before using my master key.

My Judges would say that with the text message a normal person would assume the tenant has moved.

And you would have a duty and or responsibility to enter. To make sure the property is secure and to see if it appears the property is vacant.

Just take a pic of each room to document if needed.

No need to file a UD unless it looks like it is very clear someone is still living there.

If damages & rent exceed deposit, you may need to file for a warrant in debt. Finding them & getting service may be difficult.

Unless it is a lot of damage, we just suck it up and move on. Time is money. Cleaning, repairing, getting a new better tenant is the goal.

You can try the ploy of letting them think they have money coming to them to give up their whereabouts, but most deadbeats/scammers know better. And someone on here (& I agree) said that can get you some unneeded retribution.