Very common for ex-pats in Africa. Particularly mining communities.
We had a fully furnished company house with a large garden full of orange, peach, fig and lemon trees. All maintained and paid for by the company. If I needed so much as a light bulb changed all I had to do was pick up the phone and someone would be there within an hour or two. Company CJ7 Jeep with free fuel and servicing. Free leccy, free gas and water.
Housing was based on seniority within the company and we had to have a huge 3 bedroom bungalow even though there was only the two of us rattling around in the place. There was no discussion. That's what my status demanded so that's what we had to have. Even the avenue you lived on was decreed by status. When I got a promotion we had to move to an even bigger house.
We also had to have a 'houseboy' to do the cleaning, cooking and whatever else we could find for him to do. Poor guy was bored to tears so we eventually managed to convince personnel that he wasn't needed. The only way they could get around the "rules" was to give me a payrise in compensation.
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