Probably, like me, it just has a screw loose.
Normally a lever closes clockwise. If very stiff it may be wiser to isolate elsewhere. You don't need to isolate just to remove the spout as that only gets water when the tap handles are turned 'on'.
A good quality rubber washered tap can have a longer life than any levered device. Quarter turn levered taps (i.e. ceramic disc mechanisms instead of washers) work brilliantly when they work and can be maintained reasonably easily but parts are less generic and more expensive than rubber tap washers which are always available nearly everywhere. They aren't more expensive than rubber washered taps (I've just put new taps (one hot, one cold) in my kitchen with rubber washered mechanisms... £80 the pair). Probably easier to maintain ceramic discs, if a bit more expensive as you generally just take the tap mechanism out and ask a plumbers' merchant for a suitable replacement. If you are going for quarter turn levers, with separate hot and cold levers, then the orientation is unlikely to make a difference to longevity, and you can normally get unbranded spares that will generally fit, unless you're unlucky.
What I would warn you, though, is that if you go for a single lever mixer where one lever controls both flow and temperature, I'd recommend something of quality like German Grohe (at Grohe prices!). When the lever cartridge eventually fails, you are stuck with that manufacturer's spare which may come at a certain cost. If you go for something cheap, you may probably as well regard the tap as disposable (though it's always worth checking - be sure to remember what brand it is in case you need spares!).
Good question indeed. Assuming your leak is just a drip, why not take the goose neck off, dry what water you can see in the tap body and see if it refills over the course of an hour or so?
Yes, shame on you for asking plumbing questions on a plumbing forum.
