Tenant abandoned my place.

[Chinmay J.]

Never had this happen to me before. I own a place in Loudoun County, VA and recently rented it to a young couple. Seemed like a decent couple and passed the background check just fine. About 10 days after the lease was signed, I got text from the guy saying he wanted to be out of the lease. because he was having issues with his girlfriend. Met with both of them to sort things out, before I left town for a week to basically drill some sense into them and also underline that the entire rent on the lease is due if they decide to break the lease agreement.

I come back from my out of town visit to realize that that the place has been abandoned. Upon inquiring, the neighbor told me that she saw the guy move some of his personal belongings last Wednesday (11/16/16) and left the patio door wide open. 

I went in with Loudoun County Police Officer and secured the place. I did not enter the premises myself. Thankfully, there is no damage to the property. 

This is what the language in the NVAR (Northern Virginia Association of Realtors) Lease Agreement says about abandoned properties under section subtitled as Tenant Duties:

Providing Notification to Landlord if the Tenant intends to be absent from the Premises for more than 14 days. If they Tenant fails to Notify Landlord, Landlord may consider the Premises abandoned. 

The neighbor is willing to sign an affidavit that she saw the guy leave the house on 11/16/16.   So my question is what do need to do in order get in the place and haul their stuff out.  Can I, after 14 days, go in there myself, or do I need to go in front of the judge and go through the court system.  This is not eviction per se, but the people have just left.